Through The Teen Years
by Carrro
Summary: Sequel of Past Haunts. Follow Madison through her teen years. HoratioYelina.
1. Part 1

**_A/N: _Yes, here's the sequel of Past Haunts. Took a while to write it, but now it's up! There's a lot i have to say here... First i have to tell you that this chapter hasn't been read by my beta-reader, which means there might me some grammar that isn't correct. And second, if you're from England, don't take any offence of what i have written it this chapter. hehe, i don't think what i've written there. OK, that sounded very good, i sounds so smart when i write like that.. But you'll understand what i mean later, when you read. Please review if you read. Reviews always makes me so happy! )**

**_Disclaimer:_ Some chapters will begin with lyrics from the musical Blood Brothers. The songs/lyrics are written by Will Russel, and as you all know CSI Miami belongs Jerry Bruckheimer and a lot of lucky guys. **

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_There's a few bob in your pocket  
__And you've got good friends,  
__And it seems like summer's never coming to end  
__Young, free and innocent, you haven't got a care,  
__Apart from decidin' on the clothes you're gonna wear  
__The streets turned into a paradise,  
__The radio's singing dreams  
__You're innocent, immortal,  
__You're just fifteen._

The audience was applauding like crazy. The show had made success. The two girls on the scene were beaming, they took each others hands and bowed. Once… twice… but the audience didn't stop. Another bow, and then they left the scene. Backstage they could still hear the applauds.  
The two girls were in the age of fifteen. One of them with long, red hair, freckles and beautiful blue eyes. The other one with long, dark, curly brown hair, brown eyes, and a smile like no other.  
Madison and Stephanie couldn't stop smiling, jumping, laughing and singing as they made their way to the dressing room.  
"OMG, did you hear them? They couldn't stop applauding!" Stephanie said with a big smile on her face.  
"I know! They loved it!"  
The girls kept laughing and talking as they removed all the makeup.  
"And that pirouette in the end, it looked sooo beautiful! You were totally straight-backed as you did it! It was perfect!"  
"It was? It felt good, I concentrated as much as I could to be straight-backed. Did I turn my head at the right time? It felt so." Madison asked.  
"Yes, it was so beautiful!"  
"And your part when you walked in. I love that part, it feels so… great. And so special."  
The girls laughed, they were so excited. The dance they had danced at the show had they been practising on for months and they had worked really hard to make it good.  
When they finally had changed clothes and removed all the makeup they went out to meat the audience.  
"Horatio!" Madison called as she saw her uncle and mother standing in the crowed.  
"Hey sweetie, you did wonderful! Never seen such a beautiful dancing number!" They hugged and then Madison was embraced in a giant hug by her mom.  
"You did so good honey! It was so beautiful!"  
"Thank you mom. It seems like people liked it."  
"They did," said a voice behind Madison. She turned around to face Yelina Salas.  
"Yelina! What are you doing here?" Madison asked surprised.  
"Well, I heard about the show, and that you were going to have a big dancing number in it. I felt that I just had to go and see how good you are at dancing."  
"So what do you think?"  
"I've never seen such a dance. You both were doing great. I'm very impressed Madison!" Yelina gave her a hug.  
"I'm sorry, but I have to go, loads of paperwork that must be finished tomorrow." Yelina said when they had separated.  
"Oh, thank you for coming anyway," said Madison.  
"It was all my pleasure, Madison."  
"You want a ride home, Yelina?" Horatio asked.  
Madison smiled, the feelings between them were obvious for anyone, and still none of them did anything about it. But maybe tonight one of them would take the first step. Maybe…  
"Yes thanks, it would be really nice of you Horatio."  
"Okay then. Thanks for a wonderful show. You did great!"  
"Bye Horatio. Thank you so much for coming!"  
"Bye," he said and hugged her and Suzie goodbye. "I'll speak to you soon." He said and left together with Yelina.  
"Maddie!" Without having time to say anything Stephanie was hanging round her neck.  
"People loved it!"  
"I know!!!"  
This was the best possible way to end a summer holiday.

--

A few days later, when it was two days left of the holidays, Stephanie and Madison were sitting in a glass bar, under a parasol on the beach.  
"Hey, can we sit down?" Someone with a thick British accent asked. The two girls looked up; two boys were looking down at them.  
Madison and Stephanie exchanged looks.  
"Sure," Madison said, smiling at the both guys.  
"You're from England?" Asked Stephanie.  
"Well, yes," said one of them.  
"That obvious?" asked the other one.  
"Not until you opened your mouth. Your accent told us."  
"Sometimes you just wished you could get rid of it…"  
"Get rid of it?!" Madison said and looked at Stephanie, who obviously thought the same thing as she did.  
"But it's so cute!" Stephanie said.  
They didn't know what to answer, so they changed subject.  
"Um... well… I'm Joachim, and this is Michael."  
"Nice to meet you. I'm Stephanie, and this is Madison."  
"Pleasure. You're from here?"  
"Yes, we both are. I've lived here my whole life and Steph since she was three."  
"I was born in New York," Stephanie explained.  
"Cool," Said Joachim.  
"So, how old are you?" Michael asked.  
"We're both fifteen, turning sixteen this year."  
"Cool, we're fifteen too, turning sixteen!"  
The girls exchanged glances again.  
"Are you two related or just friends?" Asked the one they now knew as Joachim.  
"No, we're just friends. How about you two?"  
"Yer, we're brothers."  
"Cool! What are you guys doing here in Miami?" Madison asked.  
"We've just moved here."  
"Nice. I've only got three days left in Miami," Stephanie said, "I'm moving back to New York with my family."  
Madison nodded sadly. This was something they both had avoided talking about. Of course they were going to keep talking on MSN and on the phone, send messages to each other, and they tried to comfort each other with those things. But they both knew it wasn't going to be as it once had been. But they didn't say that out loud. They smiled and pretended all was going to be ok.  
"Oh, I'm sorry."  
"No, it's ok, we're gonna keep in touch. We have phones and computers you know!"  
"Of course," Joachim said, not wanting to say what he was thinking for real.  
"What have you seen of Miami then? Anything special?"  
"Well if you ask me, we've already seen a lot here. It almost feels like we're real Miami people already," Joachim answered, looking at Michael.  
"Yes, we've been on beach parties on Miami Beach, they are awesome! And we've been out on clubs on the night. And we haven't slept for 20 hours!"  
The girls looked at each other and then burst out in a laud laugher.  
Joachim and Michael looked confused at each other, not understanding what was so fun.  
"Been on a lot of parties?" Stephanie managed to say between her laugher.  
"Not sleeping for 20 hours?" Madison asked, still laughing so much that people around were looking furiously at them.  
"What?" Joachim asked, still not understanding a thing.  
"Well…" Madison said, trying hard not to start laugh again. "You guys might have a cute accent, but you have no idea what party is. 20 hours...!" And then she burst out in a laud laugher again. Joachim and Michael still looked pretty confused.  
"When _we _are on parties or clubs we don't sleep for 36 hours, and we don't go to those silly tourist parties!" Stephanie explained, thinking her ribs would break.  
"Don't take it personal guys, but you need help." Madison said, a plan starting to take form in her head.  
"So… umm… You mean those parties on Miami Beach…"  
"Are tourist parties, nothing special. To be honest they're silly."  
"And I thought they were awesome, I have never been on such a party."  
"OMG, you people in England really have some stuff to learn about parties!" Stephanie said, looking terrified just of the thought of an English party.  
Michael and Joachim looked a bit unsure, as if they didn't know if they did right to trust these teenage girls.  
"We could take you out tonight, showing you how a real party is," Madison said, knowing Steph had the same thought in her head.  
"Yeah, that would be great! Really fun!"  
"Cool! Where can we find you?" Madison asked.  
"I'll give you my number," Michael said, giving them a piece of paper, with his number on it.

At nine pm that night, Stephanie and Madison started to get dressed.  
"Steph what am I gonna wear? I have no idea!!"  
"I can feel love in the air…" Madison called from the bathroom.  
"Oh shut up. Just because they're cute it doesn't mean I try to look as hot as possible on our first night out together."  
Madison came out of the bathroom, with that look upon her face.  
"Well yes maybe..." Stephanie admitted. "But you must admit they're cute!"  
"I do, but I don't panic."  
"Me neither – just asking for your advice…"  
Madison smiled.  
"Take that black top and get those hot jeans from New York on."  
"You're an angel, maddie."  
"I know I am."  
Madison took her phone from her desk and phoned the number on the note Michael had given her.

"Michael."  
"Hey Michael, it's Madison."  
"Madison, hey!"  
"You ready for a real party?"  
"Always," He answered with his cute accent. Madison smiled at this. She had to admit it; he was cute.  
"Great. Get ready because we're meeting you at 203 Austin Loop in half an hour"  
"Okay, hang on a minute." She heard him call Joachim to get a piece of paper.  
"There!" He said after a few moments. "See you in half an hour!"  
"See ya!"

She hung up and turned to Stephanie, who right now was trying to choose what eye shadow she should use. She smiled. She could tell her friend really wanted a perfect end of her time here in Miami, and Madison was going to let her.  
"Here, let me," Madison said. "Close your eyes." She did as she was told and Madison put a brown eye shadow on her eyelids.  
"Finitó!" Madison said and Stephanie opened her eyes.  
"Thanks honey. Lucky you who is so calm."  
"If you got Horatio Caine as uncle, you learn to stay calm…" Madison answered with a smile.

Stephanie laughed, she new the lieutenant very good, and she understood what Madison meant. Madison and Horatio were very alike. People could think he was her father, after all they looked very much as each other. But that wasn't all. They were very alike in other ways; both knew how to stay calm, both could face the truth and always preferred to be honest. No lies were told as long as you could avoid it.

"Hey Steph, we have to go now, or else we'll be late."


	2. Bad feelings

**_A/N:_ Chapter two is read by my Beta-reader, Lindsay-Rose, thank you hun! So this time there shouldn't be any weird grammar ;) This time you meet a new character, Molly, which i personally like a lot. hehe, i enjoyed writing this chapter a lot, coz i like Molly :D So i hope you enjoy reading it at least half as much as i enjoyed writing it:)**

**_Disclaimer:_ For Jerry Bruckheimer! Cheers! Because we love CSI: Miami! Cheers! Because you should start reading chapter two now! Cheers!**

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"Shouldn't we go home now?" Madison yelled in Michael's ear. They were still on 203 Austin Loop, and the party was in full swing. But something didn't feel right about all this. There were guys Madison, well… didn't really like. Guys she new was bad news. But Stephanie and Joachim were already together with them, dancing, talking, jumping, drinking, Madison had no idea. But it didn't matter; this wouldn't end that fun if she didn't get them out of there soon.

"Why?! You said you liked to party! It's only one am!"

"I know, but…"

Michael looked at her.

"Those guys… We should get away from here. They are into all kind of stuff. They are all criminals and they're into drugs and everything. Please Michael let's go."

He heard that she was serious and really wanted to get out of there, so he nodded, took her hand and led her towards the crowd – which Stephanie and Joachim were in.

"Joachim! Joachim!" Michael yelled to his brother. Joachim turned around by the sound of his name.

"What?"

"Come, we got to talk!" Madison yelled.

Joachim looked confused at them and then he took Stephanie's arm and drag her towards Michael and Madison.

"What is it, Mad?"

"Those guys, don't you recognise them? They were in the papers, people talked about them. They just got out of jail! They are into drugs and all kind of stuff."

"No, you must mix them up with some other guys. One of them, Lucas, told me he had lived in New York too. He's not from here."

"Trust me Steph, we should to get out of here. I don't like this."

Stephanie heard that Madison was serious about this, so she nodded and they went out through the door.

"So umm… What shall we do now?" Michael asked.

"Can't we just... Sit down somewhere and just, you know… hang out?"

"Sure! Do you know any good places?" Joachim asked, apparently glad they were going to spend more time together.

"Yeah, there's a place called 'Whenever you like' not far away. It is open round the clock, and it's very nice," Stephanie answered.

"Good idea, I haven't been there for ages!" Madison said happily.

"We were there like last week, Mad."

"Umm… Well at least it feels like ages…" The four of them laughed and made their way to 'Whenever you like'.

A few minutes later they opened the door to 'Whenever you like'. A short, sturdy lady looked up at them.

"Madison, Stephanie, what a great surprise!" She said, beaming to them. "And you're bringing boys I've never met before. New boyfriends?"

Madison and Stephanie looked at each other, embarrassed. Joachim and Michael went read in their faces, but didn't say anything.

"Umm… No Molly, we just met. This is Michael and Joachim, they just moved here and we're showing them some places in Miami." Madison answered.

"Oh, nice to meet you anyway. You're staying to eat?"

"Well at least something little. Can we sit down and decide?"

"Of course! You can sit over here," she said, showing them to a table.

"Thank you, Molly." Stephanie said.

"Yes, thank you," Said Madison, and then they sat down round the table. Molly left and went back into the kitchen.

"You know this woman?" Joachim asked.

"We always came here when we was younger. She used to be our babysitter and was like an extra grandmother for us both."

"Oh, well she was… Special. But seemed to be very nice," Michael said with a grin.

Madison and Stephanie laughed.

"She's very nice and cute. Has no own children, so she's very fond of us."

"Yer, ok. Should we decide what we should eat or drink?"  
"Yeah, I almost forgot!" Stephanie said.

"So what do you guys think, should we eat something or just take something to drink?" Madison asked.

"I think we should eat something… Not food, but a sandwich or baguette or something like that," Joachim said.

"Yeah, me too," admitted Stephanie.

"I think we all want that, it's not like we've been eating much on the party."  
"No, exactly. So what do you think we should eat?"

"I'm voting for Molly's pancakes. I promise you that you have never tasted anything like that. They are wonderful." Stephanie said.

"That sounds fine to me," Michael said, looking at Joachim and Michael.

"Yep, I agree with you guys," Joachim said.

"Then it's pancakes!" Said Madison happily. "Molly?"

"Coming!" They heard from the kitchen, and soon the little woman was standing at their table.

"Decided yet?" She asked, looking at each one of them.

"Yep!" Stephanie said. "We want a big plate of pancakes!"

"Pancakes it is! Do you want one big and four small?"

Stephanie looked at the others. "No thanks, we just need one big."

"Okay, and to drink?"

"I would like some water, please. Mineral water."

"But you're from England!"

"Well, yes I am, mrs…?"

"Oh, call me Molly. Everyone do! So you must be from England too?" Molly asked, turning to Joachim.

"Yes, I am."

She smiled sweetly at them.

"One mineral water, and for you?"

"I'll take mineral water"

"Yeah, me too, Molly."

"I take that too. Can we get one big bottle, and four glasses, please?" Madison asked.

"Of course, sweetie. Then there's one big plate pancakes, one big bottle mineral water with four glasses."

"Great! Thank you Molly!" Said Madison.

"My pleasure!" And with that she hurried back into the kitchen.

"So umm… Why are you moving back to New York, Stephanie?" Joachim asked.

"It's because of my dad's work. He has to travel a lot in his work, but now the whole company is moving back to New York - and so do we…"

"You feel ok about it?" Joachim asked, unsure if he asked to much.

"No. I'm gonna miss this. I'm gonna miss Miami. I'm gonna miss my Madison. My Mad."

"Come here honey, we need a hug." Said Madison, tears in her eyes.

The girls hugged each other, but after ten seconds, the girls still hadn't separated. Michael and Joachim had no idea what to say, so they just sat there, looking stupidly at them.

"Okay, you cute girls, here comes the food! You can keep hugging each other after food!"

She put the big plate of pancakes on the table and then left, saying to herself;

"Still so cute…"

The girls giggled, and then they all started to eat.

"So um… where from England are you?" Stephanie asked after a while.

"We're from London," Michael answered.

"Cool! I've always wanted to go there!" Said Madison.

"I've been there!" Said Stephanie. "It's a really cool city, but the traffic is kinda weird."

They all laughed.

"We think the same about Miami."

"But why did you guys move?" Madison asked.

"Same reason as Stephanie – parents and work. Our mom got the opportunity to move here, but it was all our own choice. And we're not complaining!"

"We can see that!"

"You kids having a good time?" Asked Molly, who now stood beside the table. "Did it taste alright?"

"Yes, it was wonderful! Really nice Molly!"

"I agree with him, you certainly know how to cook!"

Molly smiled down at them.

"You've met two very nice boys, girls. Don't miss this opportunity!"

They all blushed.

"Molly…" Madison begun.

"Okay, okay – it's none of my business, but you could always listen to advices."

"Yes, I guess you're right Molly. Thank you, we appreciate it."

"Oh, trust me – I know what I'm talking about!"

"We've noticed," Stephanie said, blinking with one eye to the others.

"Okay, I get it. I'll stop."

"Thank you Molly."

"So do you want anything else?" Molly asked.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I would really like a nice cup of coffee." Said Madison.

"Yeah, that would be nice!" Michael said.

"I agree with you two," Stephanie said. "Joachim?"

"Yes, why not?"

"Alright. Madison you want one sugar, right?"

She nodded as answer.

"And Stephanie black. How about you two?"

"Milk for me please," Joachim said.

"And one sugar for me too, please," Said Michael.

"Alright, give me a few moments!" And then she was back in the kitchen.

When she came back again, a few moments later, she was holding a tray in her hands, with five cups of coffee.

"Do you mind if I sit down with you? You're my only guests left, and I would like some company."

"Of course we don't mind!"

Molly smiled, gave them their cups with the coffee, and then sat down her own and sat down beside Stephanie.

"So where were you before you came over here?"

The four of them grinned, and Michael was just about to answer when Molly begun to talk again.

"Don't tell me you were at a party!"

"Well yes… we were…" Madison said.

"Young lady, you and Stephanie are at far too many parties. According to your mom you're at parties every week! What happened with picnics and sleep over parties?"

Madison looked a bit guilty when she answered.

"Molly, I know I'm on a lot of parties, but… Well it's a way for me to meet a lot of friends, without having to spend one day on each one of them, I can meet them all on the party – at the same time. And we're having a great time, don't we Steph?"

"Yeah, we do Molly. Look at these two –" She said and looked at Michael and Joachim. "- They met a lot of new people tonight, and I'm sure they've met people they are gonna go to school with and everything. We're at parties because we want to meet friends, new and old."  
"And I understand that, but why does it have to be that often, and in the middle of the night? Can't you just have a party on the beach, having picnic, and still meeting everybody?"

"Well, yes I guess that's possible, but first – I don't think there are many who would like to come… and second…"

"If they don't want to meet you on other places than parties and on the night, I don't think they are real friends. Shouldn't friends like to meet each other anytime?"

"No, and if you have many friends – you can't meet them all the time. Plus, it would be hard to find a place on the day when you aren't interrupt by tourist and other people."  
Molly thought about what they had said before she answered.

"Well I guess you're right – but still I don't like you two hanging out in the middle of the night."  
"Molly, we're not children anymore – we can take care of ourselves."  
"I highly doubt that. But now let's talk about something else – this isn't leading us anywhere."

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**_A/N #2:_ No matter what you thought about it, please send me a review. Hope you enjoyed reading! **


	3. I don't like this joke

**_A/N: _There you go, chapter three finished to read! I'm writing a lot these days, now when it's holiday, so there will hopefully be a new update soon! Thanks to you who's reviewed, and for you who reads but doesn't review - it doesn't take that long to write a line or two. If you haven't read Past Haunts, there might be a little part you don't understand, but i don't think it's a big deal. But still I recommend**** you to read Past Haunrs :)  
****  
Read, Review and Enjoy! **

**_Disclaimer:_ Jerry Bruckheimer is the lucky one. I'm just borrowing his characters for a while...**

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"So what are you feeling about school, you're class was separated wasn't it?" Molly asked, looking at Stephanie and Madison. "Did you come in the same class, or did they split you?"  
Madison and Stephanie looked at each other. Hadn't anyone told her? Apparently not.  
"Umm… Molly…" Molly heard immediately that there was something going on.  
"What?"  
"Well… I thought you knew, but apparently not…"  
"Knew what sweetheart?"  
"I'm moving back to New York, Molly," Stephanie said, looking sadly at her.  
"You… you're… no…" She started to laugh, unsure. "I don't like this joke, Steph… I… It is a joke, isn't it?"  
Stephanie shook her head, tears in her eyes. Now when she sat there, beside Molly, she realised that Madison wasn't the only one she was going to miss. What about Molly, Suzie and Horatio? And the city? Miami. Now she realized how much she was going to miss it all. I love Miami, Miami is a magic city. A city I'm leaving.  
Molly embraced her in a giant hug, sobbing.  
"But… Why are you leaving? When are you leaving?" She asked between the sobs.  
"Dad's work… And we're leaving in two days. Today and tomorrow are my last days here."  
More sobbing. 

It took them one more hour before Molly let them leave, still crying as she closed the door behind them.  
"I'm sorry about that," Stephanie said to Michael and Joachim.  
"No, that's ok. She seems to be very fond of you."  
"Yeah, she is…"  
"This is where we live..." Michael said after a while.  
"Okay, well I guess we'll see each other around. Maybe we'll talk tomorrow!"  
"Yeah, bye!"  
"Bye!"  
"Talk to you later!"  
Stephanie kept walking home but noticed Madison was going in another direction.  
"Maddie, it's this way," She said, wondering what her friend was up to.  
"Um… Steph I'm going this way."  
"Why? Mad, I don't know what you ate or drank on the party, but you're not thinking straight. The way home is this way honey."  
"No it isn't!"  
"Mad, what the heck are you talking about?! Home is this way!"  
"No, I'm staying at Horatio's tonight."  
They both laughed.  
"Why didn't you say so?"  
"I don't know…" She grinned stupidly at her.  
"I must get back now, Horatio probably sitting up, waiting for me. Would be very like him. What time is it?"  
"Half past three."  
"Woops, I better go! Bye hun!" She said and gave Stephanie a hug.  
"Bye sweetie, see you tomorrow!"  
One quarter of an hour later Madison stopped outside Horatio's door. She took her keys out of her purse and opened the door.  
After taking her shoes off, she left the hall and went into the living room.  
"Horatio?"  
The swivel armchair turned and Horatio looked at her.  
"Hey sweetheart. You had a good time?"  
"Yeah, well we left the party already at one, and went to Molly's instead. We sat there and ate pancakes for a while, and talked a lot. You should meet Michael and Joachim, they are really nice."  
"The guys from England?" He asked, his lips forming to a smile.  
"Yes, the guys from England. What's amusing you?"  
"Oh, nothing. I'm just noticing that you're growing up. Time flies…"  
_Time flies. There it was again. Another thing reminding him of what had happened all those years ago. It didn't matter what happened or what anyone said, all he heard and saw reminded him of what had happened. Since then he enjoyed every moment with Madison as much as he could. And he was luckily he was able to meet her, since her life had been hanging by a thread more than once. Every day was worth reminding.  
_She smiled.  
"Lieutenant Caine, you're thinking far too much, you forget to be. Can't you just stop thinking and just… live?"  
He smiled back.  
"Look whose talking."  
"Okay, okay, you got me! Now when you say it, maybe I think a lot. But I'm not forgetting to live."  
They both laughed, they were so alike it was scary.  
"So did you get some sleep while waiting for me?"  
He looked guilty at her.  
"Oh, now you're surprising me!"  
He smiled at her again.  
"C'mon it's time to go to bed. I'm working tomorrow you know."  
"Don't even try Horatio. Don't even try to make me feel guilty! I know better than anyone that you would have stayed up this late even if you hadn't waited for me. You still would've stayed up working."  
"Now you got me! C'mon, let's go to bed."

The next day they met Michael and Joachim again. The spent the whole day at the beach, and learnt to know each other really good. The day past and before they knew it, it was a new day and it was time to say farewell to Stephanie. No, not farewell, just goodbye. Because they would see each other again - they had promised they would.  
Madison tried to stop crying, but it didn't work. She and Stephanie were crying like babies, none of them could stop the tears from falling down their cheeks.  
"Mad, I don't want to leave," Stephanie said for the seventh time.  
The girls had been hugging each other for five minutes but didn't let go of each other.  
"I don't wanna…" Stephanie cried in her ear.  
"Shh… it'll be ok… I'm gonna call you every hour if you want me to!"  
"I don't want you to call me; I want to be with you in Miami!"  
Madison took a deep sigh.  
"Stephanie, we're acting like babies. C'mon, Michael and Joachim have been waiting for fifteen minutes to say goodbye."  
"Oh, gosh you're right. But still…"  
Michael and Joachim, who had been standing a few metres away, came closer now when they saw the girls finally had separated.  
Stephanie throw herself round there necks.  
"Group hug!" Stephanie called, and they all were together in a great hug.  
"Stephanie!" Her dad, David, called from the car.  
"Well, I guess I have to go… I'll call you guys later. And we're seeing each other soon, aren't we?"  
"Of course," Madison said, and hugged her again.  
After hugging all of them two more times, Stephanie leaved. She turned back, and with a last glance at her friends, she jumped into the car.

Madison watched the car leave, and felt the tears on her cheeks, but didn't care. Michael came and gave her a hug.  
"You ok?" he asked in her ear.  
"Well… yeah, I'm ok. I'm just a bit upset…"

"Horatio? Can I come in? Or am I interrupting you in something?" Madison asked. She saw someone move behind him, and then realised it was Yelina.  
"Oh, sorry! I didn't know you two were having lunch! Sorry!"  
"No, that's ok, Madison," Yelina said behind Horatio.  
"No, honestly I don't want to interrupt you in something! I'll see you tomorrow instead Horatio!"  
"Ok, see you tomorrow then!" He said, gave her a quick hug and then Madison left, with a big smile on her lips. Maybe this time…  
She looked at her watch. It was a quarter past one. Then Stephanie should be in New York by now, she thought, as she took her cell phone out. After choosing a number on the speed dial she put the phone to her ear.  
"Mad, is that you?" Was the answer she heard on the other side of the line. She laughed.  
"Yeah, hun, it's me."  
While talking Madison started to walk.  
"I'm not gonna like living here, Mad. Here's so much noise. So much dirt…"  
"You're in a big city, what did you expect? It's not like Miami."  
"That's my point. I want to go back."  
"We both know that's not a possibility, Steph."  
"I know but.. I miss you, and to be honest… I miss Joachim and Michael too."  
"But honestly girl, you've known them for two days!"  
"I know, but you like them too! And don't tell me you're not on your way to see them. I know you are!"  
"Ok, you've known me for twelve years, but to read minds isn't a fact even if 12 years is a long time!" They both laughed.  
"I just knew it! So what are you guys planning to do?"  
"I dunno, but I expect we'll have to go to Molly's. You saw her at your house, she was crying more than all others together!"  
"Oh, now I feel a lot better! Now I don't have to have a guilty conscience."  
"Sorry." Madison said, and could really see how Stephanie smiled on the other side of the line.  
"Please tell her hey from me, and say I'll be back visiting her soon!"  
"Will you?"  
"I don't know. I don't know if I'm allowed to go to Miami by myself. If I'm not I won't visit often, cause mom and dad wont go to Miami often."  
"No, you're right."  
"Mad, I can't talk any longer, we're going to take the underground now."  
"Ok, I'll call you later! Bye!  
"Bye darling!" They hung up and Madison put her cell phone back in her pocket.

A few moments later she stopped outside the house she new as Michaels and Joachim's. Acwell Creasant 29. She knocked at the door, and a few seconds later Joachim opened the door.  
"Hi! You've already visit Horatio?" He asked surprised.  
"Well, he was having dinner with Yelina, and I didn't want to disturb them."  
"Wait… Yelina is his sister-in-law, and they like each other, but both a bit too shy to dare show it? Am I right?"  
"Yep, did I tell you that?"  
"No, Stephanie told me when we were on the beach."  
"Ah, okay. And here comes Michael."  
For some reason Joachim didn't look happy about this. But maybe she was just imagining things?  
"Hey!" He said and smiled at her.  
"Hi!" She smiled back.  
"So what do you want to do?" Joachim asked.  
Madison kept eye contact with Michael for one last second and then she turned to Joachim.  
"I was thinking maybe we can go visit Molly. I think she needs to get consoled. You saw how shaken she was."  
"Yea, we can do that," Joachim answered.  
"Sure, no problem!" Michael said.  
"Ok then, let's go."  
"Have you spoken to Stephanie yet?" Michael asked as they started to walk.  
"Yep, I called her before I came here. She really want to go back, but I think she'll have a good time…" Madison didn't know if they had heard it, but when she had said that it didn't sound as if she believed in what she said. And she didn't. She knew that Stephanie hated New York. She hated the noise. She hated all the dirt and the fact that it was a big city. Stephanie also said the people there were very impolite.  
Madison was a bit afraid that Stephanie would have a hard time there. Not because her parents weren't nice to her or that she wouldn't get friends; Madison knew she would get friends. But she hated the city. She hated living there. After they had moved to Miami, they had moved back to New York a couple of times, a few months at a time. So Stephanie remembered her time in New York, and she had hated it already by that time.  
"Yeah, I think she'll have a wonderful time! Who doesn't enjoy their stay in New York?!"

_Stephanie._

_

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_**It doesn't have to be a long review!! As i said, it doesn't take long time to write a line or two.**


	4. CLOSED

**_A/N: _Okay everybody, here it is. Finally. Shame on my for not getting this done earlier, but well I've been away for over two weeks. And don't blame me, because i _did _write, but it takes some time to get this typed and ready to publish. Anyway, now it's beta-read and finished to be put up! Hopefully next chapter will be up soon, i've got half of it on the computer and the rest on a paper :P So well, I'm really gonna try to put it up in a few days! **

**_Disclaimer: _I do not own CSI: Miami. Now you guys are surprised,huh+ If i did, do you seriously think i'd be sitting here, in front of my computer - instead of having a nice talk with David Caruso and Sofia Milos?  
**

* * *

For the first time in Madison's entire life, she saw the sign 'CLOSED' on the door of 'Whenever you like'.  
"I take it they're not normally closed?" Joachim asked when he saw the look upon her face.  
"I've never seen that sign up. Never ever."  
"What shall we do? Should we leave?"  
"No, she's there, she's always there. But we'll have to take another way; she's not gonna open up if we knock on this door."  
She led them to the backyard. Joachim and Michael looked around; there were lots of plants and flowers that they never had seen before.  
"Come," Madison said and led them to the door. When they were close, they could here sounds from the inside, but as Madison knocked at the door, it went silent.  
"Molly, it's us. Please open up!" Madison called. First they didn't hear anything but then they heard footsteps on the other side of the door. The door was opened and a red-eyed Molly faced them.  
"Molly, can we come in?"  
"Well… Of course! Come in." She let them in, and before any of them had time to say anything Molly gave Madison a bone-crushing hug.  
"I know I'm over reacting, I know she's gonna visit us, but still it's so hard to let one of my girls go!"  
"Well… I know what you mean Molly, I feel the same," Madison said, trying to console her.  
"But you're not crying like if someone had died!"  
"True."  
Molly laughed between her sobs.  
"Come on, let's have a cup of coffee." The backdoor led into the kitchen, but Molly led them out of there, to the restaurant where they had been only two days earlier.  
"Take a seat while I make some coffee."  
They did as she told them and then she left them alone.  
"That wasn't so hard. I thought she would cry all-through our visit!" Joachim said with a grin on his face.  
"It's not funny, you know. It's sad. The reason why Molly is so shaken is that Stephanie and I are such a big part of her life! We are all she cares about! Well, except this restaurant."  
"Sorry, you're right," Joachim said immediately.  
"So did Stephanie say anything special when you called?" Michael asked.  
"No, not much, she didn't have time to say much because they were supposed to take the subway."  
"Oh, okay. And here comes Molly!"  
Molly came out of the kitchen with a tray in her hands.  
"One sugar for you Michael, another with one sugar for Madison, one milk for you Joachim and a black for me!"  
"Wow, did you remember that?!" Joachim asked surprised.  
"I've been running this restaurant for thirty years, and I've learned to remember such things," she answered with a smile on her lips.  
"Now, I'm sorry, but now I want to know you two," Molly said, turning to Michael and Joachim."  
They looked nervously at each other.  
"I think we should play a game! Okey, it's very simple all you have to do is tell us something weird, special, a memory or just something about yourself – things we don't know, of course! And maybe you could say some embarrassing things too!" She said and smiled at them.  
'This is so typical', Madison thought. 'Molly in a nutshell.'  
"Uh… Okay, I guess we can do that," Michael said.  
"Yeah, ok."  
"Ok, I can start!" Molly said excited. "I'll just start with some standard facts, and then, when it's my turn next time, I'll tell you something else! Ok, here we go…  
My name is Molly Turner. I'm from Miami, and I've lived here my whole life. I'm sixty three years old. My favourite colour is pink, and I love coffee. Your turn Michael!"  
"Uh… okay… I'll just do the same thing as you did then…  
My name is Michael Watson. I'm from England –London- , but now I live in Miami, Florida. I'm fifteen years old, turning sixteen this year. Uh… I don't like my accent, because it tells people I'm not from here – which I don't like, because I want to be one of the Miami people." He looked surprised when he stopped, as if he had no idea where those words came from.  
"Okay, then it's me now." Joachim said, a bit unsure.  
"My name is Joachim Watson. I'm from England, London, just like my bro Michael. I do – just like him- live in Miami, for about two weeks now, and I've really enjoyed my stay here. I've met two very nice girls, but now only one of them is left to flirt with." he said, winking at Madison. Madison blushed and Molly beamed at him.  
"Okay, my turn!  
My name is Madison Keaton, I'm fifteen years old, turning sixteen this year. My best friend is moving to New York today, and I've been a bit sad all day. But when she had left, it all started to get better. First, I think Horatio and Yelina are having a private, romantic lunch at Horatio's. Which none of us know how it'll end. Second, now I'm sitting together with two cute, English guys and my Molly, drinking the world's best coffee."  
"Okay, now it's me again! Long ago, when this restaurant was just starting, I fell and dropped the whole tray with hot coffee all over a customer. He never came back." They all laughed like crazy.

The three of them spent the whole day at Molly's and when they left in the evening, there wasn't much they didn't know about each other. All of them had thought it was a bit stupid in the beginning - the game, but later the realized it had only been a way for Molly to make them start talking. After a while they just told each other about things they had done and things that had happened, and no one had to be "forced" to talk. They all wanted to share new things about themselves.

When Madison was home that night, she and Suzie sat talking for a long time on the sofa in their living room. Madison told her about Michael and Joachim, about their time at Molly's and a lot of other things. In the middle of the conversation they were interrupted by the phone.  
"I'll get it." Suzie said and hurried to get the phone.  
Madison heard her answer, and say;  
"Yes, hang on a second, I'll get her."  
Madison looked up as her mother walked back into the room.  
"Michael," she said and gave Madison the phone.  
"Hey," she said as she had put the phone to her ear.  
"Hey, it's Michael. I just wanted to make sure you got home all right."  
She smiled.  
"Yes, I'm fine, thank you." She tried to answer with a British accent, but it just sounded silly. Michael started to laugh, and so did she. It took a long time before any of them could stop.  
"You should hear yourself!" he said, still laughing.  
"I did." She said laughingly.  
"So what were you doing, before I called?" Michael asked when they finally had calmed down.  
"Mom and I were just sitting and talking. We do that sometimes."  
"Oh, I'm sorry, did I disturb you?"  
"No, that's ok, now you've already ruined it."  
"Oh, umm… I'm sorry!"  
She laughed.  
"Hey, I'm just kidding!"  
"Oh…" Now both of them laughed.  
"So have you heard anything from Horatio yet? How'd the lunch ended?"  
"No… But I can guess…" She said and giggled. Michael started giggle a little, he too. Madison couldn't help noticing he sounded really cute as he giggled.  
"So well… now when I've checked you're all right I guess I'll say goodnight."  
"I guess so…"  
"Yeah, um, goodnight. We'll see each other tomorrow."  
"No, I don't think that's possible, Horatio, Mom and I are going out for dinner after school. We always do that after the first day in school."  
"Yeah, ok but we'll still see each other in school!"  
"What?"  
"Haven't I told you?! We're starting the same class as you!"  
"You do?! No you haven't told me!"  
"Well, now I have," he said and she feel him smiling on the other end.  
"But that's great! Then we'll see each other tomorrow then!"  
"Yep! Goodnight."  
"Night, sleep tight."  
"Will do, same to you!"  
They laughed.  
"You can rhyme too, I hear."  
"Yep I'm a pro!"  
"I believe you. Now, goodnight."  
"Goodnight."  
She hung up.

The first day in school was as filled with information as usual. Loads of things to write down and loads of papers and a schedule do keep safe. Because all the papers were about important things. If you lost them, then it was your problem.  
Madison met a few old friends, but there were also a lot of new faces in the class. They seemed to be a nice lot, but still she only had time to talk to a few of them, since the teachers talked all the time. After saying goodbye to Michael and Joachim, Madison went home, at a quarter to three. At three o'clock she was home again. She made herself a few slices of bread and a cup of coffee. Madison sat down in the sofa, and took the phone on the table beside her. She phoned Stephanie's number and waited for her to answer.  
"Stephanie here."  
"Hey Steph, it's Madison!"  
"Mad, finally, I've been waiting!!"  
"Why didn't you call then?  
"You've been in school all day, smartass."  
"Oh, right. Don't you start today then?"  
"No, I'm starting tomorrow. Sorry asking but what are you doing? It sounds a bit weird…"  
"Eating."  
"That would explain a lot," Stephanie said, laughing. "So are you, Horatio and Suzie going at restaurant as usual tonight?"  
"Yep."  
"Where are you guys going this time then?"  
"I think we decided to eat Thai-food, at Korrapong. You know which one that is, huh?"  
"Yep, I know. I've been there, the food is wonderful! You should try their 'Panäng Nua' it's SO good!"  
"Thanks for the tip. What have you been doing today then?"  
"Oh you know, trying to make my room comfortable. And I found out that my neighbour is a seventeen year old girl. She's ok, but you would win easily!"  
"Thanks," Madison said, smiling. "Found any cute guys yet?"  
"Yep, but only a few, all hotties are found in Miami! Just a couple of cute guys."  
"I bet you'll find more than one of them more than cute soon."  
"I already have. There are two guys I like especially, now I just have to get to know both of them, and then decide which one of them I like."  
"Sounds like hard work."  
"Fun work I would call it! So how about Michael and Joachim, what've you been doing since I left?"  
"Yesterday we went to see Molly, see how she was doing. And listen to this; She had put the 'closed' sign up!"  
"Oh my god, I feel so sorry for her! How was she? Did she open the door? Did she talk to you?"  
"She was very upset at first, but then she invited us in for some coffee. And we played that 'game' we used to play before, when we were young, to get to know each other when we had new friends."  
"Aww, you must've learned a lot about them! Loads!"  
"Yep! Their birthday is just two weeks after us! Their birthdays are on the seventeenth of April!"  
"Cool!"  
"Yep, and both of them were flirting with me like crazy."  
"No, they didn't?!"  
"Yes, Joachim said in the first round that 'he had met two very nice girls, but now there was only one left to flirt with', and then he winked at me. Then Michael said something cute to me, and then Joachim and on it went. No big deal but, you know… Then Michael called in the night to make sure I had got home all right!"  
"Aww, he is so cute!! But both are cute! Do you know which one of them you like most?"  
"No, they are both so cute, and I don't even know if I want to get together with any of them, because that would ruin my friendship with the other."  
"I see…"  
"Michael is so cute and a bit shy sometimes. He's very smart, and very nice. But Joachim is really cool, not that smart maybe, but just as cute. And he is really funny… - But so is Michael!" She added.  
Stephanie laughed.  
"Good luck choosing there!"  
"Don't laugh, it's not even close to fun!"  
"Mad, listen to yourself. It is fun."  
Madison was quiet for a while.  
"Well, ok, it is a little fun," she said, giggling.  
"Anything else?" Stephanie wondered.  
"Well, yes, Michael and Joachim will start in the same class as me!"  
"But that's great! I wish I was back home…"  
"Shh, you'll be back in no time, won't you?"  
"Let's hope so. Oh wait, that's the door bell."  
Madison heard Stephanie open the door, and voices talking.  
"Wait a minute Sofia!" Stephanie said.  
"Hey, you still there," she asked.  
"Yep."  
"That was my neighbour. I'm sorry, I got to go! But we'll speak soon. Have a nice evening, and say 'hey' to everyone from me, both to the brothers and to Suzie and Horatio. AND Molly, ok?"  
"I will, I promise!"  
"Okay. Bye, I miss you."  
"I miss you too."

The day went by and before Madison knew it, Suzie was home. Madison was in her room, trying to decide what she should wear. On her bed lay two dresses, a skirt and a top. A knock on the door, and then Suzie entered the room.  
"Hey honey. Do you know what you're gonna wear?" Madison shook her head.  
"Let's have a look then."  
She walked to the bed and looked at the clothes.  
"Definitely that dress," she said, pointing at a dark blue dress.  
"Yeah, you're right, thanks mom," Madison replied.  
"You're welcome. I'm going to take a quick shower now, so if Horatio arrives while I'm in the bathroom, open the door okay?"  
"Sure, no problem." Suzie left and Madison changed clothes. She put some new make-up on and had just changed earrings when she heard the door bell. She hurried to the door, and opened.  
"Horatio, come in!" She said happily.  
"Hey Madison," he said and gave her a hug.  
"Mom's in the bathroom, she'll be out in a minute."  
"Ok, I'll wait."  
"You and Yelina have a good time yesterday?"  
"Yeah, it was very nice."  
"Did you do anything after lunch?" She asked, trying to keep a straight face. She succeeded.  
"Uh…" Madison had known Horatio for ages. Lived with him for days in a row, but still this was the first time she had seen him blush.  
"Yeah, we just… uh… you know… talked."  
"Sounds nice," Madison said, trying hard not to jump and laugh with happiness.  
"Hey Horatio!" Madison heard her mother say behind her.  
"Hey," he replied and hugged her.  
"Ready to go?" He asked.  
"Yep."  
"Come on then – I'm starving!" Madison said. And out they went.

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**The more reviews, the more happy i'll be. And the happier i am, the faster i will work to get next chapter finished! So why don't you take one minute of your time to write a little review? Or it would be enough with a few seconds, now when i think about it...**


	5. Embarrassing Moments

**_A/N_: I told you there would be an update soon, didn't i?! And this was soon, wasn't it? Yeah, it was. A short one this time, and also the last chapter you'll read about Madison when she's fifteen. Next time, she will be sixteen years old, and.. no i'm not ganna say more, you'll just have to wait and see ;) **

**_Disclaimer_: No, i do not own CSI: Miami. It's Jerry Bruckheimer who does. I'm just borrowing them, and i promise you Jerry, i will give them back. I just want them a little longer... When you get them back they'll be as good as new. Almost... **

* * *

As they entered the restaurant, everyone got a very lovely surprise. The place looked very new and fresh, with real flowers everywhere, modern lamps and beautiful paintings all over the walls.  
A man who looked to be around twenty-five, approached them.  
"Would you like a table for three?" he asked politely.  
"Yes please," Horatio said as he took his sunglasses off.  
The man led them to a table, and they sat down. He gave Madison a menu, and then one to Suzie and one to Horatio.  
They all looked closely at the menus, after a while the man was back.  
"Have you decided yet?" He asked.  
"Yes, I have," Madison said immediately.  
"Me too," Horatio said. "You finished?" He asked, looking at Suzie. She was just about to answer, but then she looked up, and said:  
"Yelina, Ray, hey!"  
Horatio and Madison turned around to see Yelina and Ray standing a few metres away.  
"Hey," Ray said as they walked to the table.  
"Hey!" Yelina said.  
"You want to join us?" Suzie asked.  
"You don't mind?" Yelina asked.  
"No, of course not! Please sit down," said Madison.  
"Thanks," Yelina said and sat down beside Horatio, and gave him a quick kiss  
on the cheek.  
"Hey," she said, and smiled shyly to Horatio. "Thanks for last night. I had a wonderful time."  
"So did I," he said, smiling back shyly. Ray sat down beside Madison and the grown ups started to talk.  
"You've found out?" Madison whispered to Ray, knowing the grown ups wouldn't  
hear them; they were already immersed in a discussion about a new case that just had been wrapped up again. The new evidence that had been discovered indicated that a man sentenced to death maybe was innocent.  
"About them? Yeah. I asked Mom what they had done, and… well let's say I have not heard a worse explanation." They both giggled.  
"I asked Horatio how the night had been, what they had done?"  
"I bet he didn't give an answer either."  
"He didn't, he just said they had talked, and it had been very nice." Both of them laughed, and the grown-ups looked questioningly at them.  
"Ray, have you decided what you wanna eat?" Yelina asked, when they refused to tell them what they were laughing about.  
"I'll have the same as Madison," he answered, wanting to continue the conversation with Madison in private again.  
First Yelina looked surprised, then she just shrugged and turned back to join the conversation with the others.  
"It took some time for them to realize," he whispered under his breath.  
"Yeah, I've known, since I was like ten."  
"Me too. Or well, maybe not that long – maybe since I was fourteen."  
"But you must've noticed earlier!" She said surprised.  
"I'm a guy!" He defended himself.  
She sighed, but then grinned.  
"Do you think they know we know?"  
"Ummm… Sorry, I didn't catch that," he said, grinning.  
"Do you think they know, that we know that they are having a relationship – on  
that level."  
"Madison…" Ray said and motioned her to look up.  
Horatio, Suzie and Yelina were looking at them.  
"Umm…. Hey guys…" Madison said, embarrassed. She felt her cheeks turn red. "Decided what to eat yet?"

The dinner went by, without any more embarrassing situations. They all enjoyed the dinner, and three hours later they had paid the bill.  
"You ready to go?" Horatio asked Madison and Ray, as he, Suzie and Yelina rose from their chairs.  
"Yeah, let's go," Madison said.  
"Madison, I need to talk to you," Suzie said, and dragged her away from the others.  
"Some of my colleagues are coming tonight, we're gonna discuss my new job over a dinner, and we cannot be interrupted. Ok?" Suzie said, looking seriously at her.  
Madison sighed. "Not again mom, they were here yesterday! And the day before yesterday."  
"No those were different. Please Madison, this dinner is really important! I don't want them to come over that often, but if this goes well I will get a new job, with a higher salary."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah. I know you don't like that they're here all the time, but give me a chance. This is the last time they come over before they decide if they're gonna hire me or not."  
"So, you might get a new job? Why haven't you told me before?!"  
"I didn't want to say anything before I knew for sure. And I still don't but well… there is a god chance."  
"I'm so happy for you, mom!" Madison said and hugged her. "I'll see if I can spend the night with Ray then."  
They walked back to the group.  
"Ray, do you mind if I spend the night at your place?"  
"No, of course not!"  
"Yelina, is it ok with you?"  
"Well yes, but I'm staying at Horatio's tonight so you'll be alone. You'll have to check with your Mom if that's ok with her."  
Madison pretended that it was nothing special that Yelina was about to spend  
the evening at Horatio's and turned to her mom.  
"I guess that's alright. Ray, you'll look after her, won't you?"  
Madison rolled her eyes.  
"Yeah I will, no problem," he said, grinning to Madison.  
"Mom, he's only two years older than me!!"  
"And that's why he's the one in charge. OK?"  
Madison answered with a sigh, and then she went out of the restaurant, closely followed by Ray and the others.

- - -

"You think Horatio and Yelina can finally and officially be called a couple now?" Ray asked as Madison came out of the bathroom.  
"I don't know… Honestly I think they would be embarrassed if you said it to them, but I'm sure they see themselves as a couple. Don't you think so?"  
"Probably…"  
There were a few seconds of silence before Ray started to talk again.  
"So how are you feeling about Stephanie?"  
"Oh, you know I miss her a lot already. And honestly I think she'll have a hard time living in New York. She hates that city – more than you can imagine."  
"But how can anyone possibly hate New York?!"  
"I know, but I think the reason is that the only memories she has from there are things she'd rather want to forget. While she lived there she had no friends, and her grandma died and that's just for starters. Her time in New York hasn't been fun at all. Even if she had friends there the second and third time she lived there, she'll miss Miami so much that she won't enjoy her stay there. She has, just like me, fallen in love with Miami, and she can't, just like me, think of another place on earth to live in."  
"Oh, I didn't know that. Well I knew about your love for Miami…" He grinned. "But you seem to be ok."  
"Yeah, but Michael and Joachim have made it a lot easier."  
"Michael and Joachim, those are the English guys everybody's talking about, right?"  
"Everybody's talking about?"  
"Yeah, people say they had a fight about you."  
"Fight about me?!" Madison laughed. "No, not really, where did they get that from?"  
"I dunno."  
"Just for your information; they are just friends of mine, nothing else. Tell that to those idiots who think different please."  
"Alright, I will." They both grinned. Madison's phone started to ring. She took it out from her pocket and looked at the screen. 'Steph' she read.  
"Speak of the devil," she said before answering.  
"Hey Steph!"  
"Hey honey, how are you?"  
"I'm fine. I'm at Ray's," she replied. "He says hi, by the way," she added, after looking at him.  
"Hey Ray!" Stephanie shouted in the phone, Madison moved the phone from her ear fast.  
"He heard you," Madison said, and giggled.  
"So how was dinner?"  
"I love Thai food, and Korrapong has wonderful food!"  
"Told you so."  
"Yeah, and Ray and Yelina joined us! AND YOU WON'T GUESS WHAT!"  
"What?" Stephanie asked.  
"Yesterday I went to Horatio's, but when I knocked at the door, Yelina was with him. They were having lunch. And when I asked him today how it had been, and what they had done, he blushed and said 'we… you know just talked'!!!"  
"Oh my god, I can't believe it! I thought it never would happen!"  
"I know, and that's not all! When they joined us at Korrapong, Yelina said  
'I had a wonderful time last night', and kissed him – just on his cheek but well…it's still a kiss! And tonight she's staying at his place!"  
"No, you're kidding me!"  
"Nope, I'm not."  
"Aww, I'm so happy for them! Are they a couple now then?"  
"Well... I don't know. Not officially, but yeah, I would say they are."  
"If you're spending the night together then you are."  
"Yeah, you're right. So how's your day been?"  
"Well, honestly pretty boring. Been spending the day with Sofia. Could anyone look after someone more boring? But I guess she's alright, I mean she only talks about horses, but I guess it's better than spending the day all alone."  
Madison laughed.  
"I feel sorry for you."  
"Thanks. And now you're sleeping at Ray's?"  
"Yeah, I am."  
"You know, if you weren't related I would definitely tell you to take this chance. You know, he's pretty good looking."  
"He is? I've not thought about that," Madison said, as she moved a bit further away from Ray, so he wouldn't hear Stephanie's voice.  
"Never thought about that?!"  
"He's my half-sibling, Steph."  
"Yeah, ok, but at least you know now."  
"Thank you for the information, I'm very thankful. Now I'm not gonna be able to think about anything else."  
"Yes, you will."  
"Probably..."  
"Hey, you know what?!"  
"What?"  
"Well I was supposed to be a surprise but I can't keep quite… I'm coming over to Miami at Christmas!"  
"But that's ages, Steph!"  
"I know. At first mom and dad wanted me to stay in NY until my birthday, but I made them change their minds!"  
"Yay!"

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Ready for part two? well, even if you aren't Part Two will be next thing you'll read. Review as always! 


	6. Part 2

**_A/N:_ I blame Harry Potter. He made stay away from the computer and read instead. Sorry. But it was the last book, and i couldn't stop reading! Well, now chapter 6 finished and ready to be published. Not much to be said except: Read & Review - as usual! **

**_Disclaimer:_ The verse in the beginning of this chapter is a part of the song Sommer Sequens from the musical Blood Brothers. It's Will Russel who has written the lyrics. And CSI: Miami is Jerry Bruckheimer's, not mine - as you all know.**

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_And who'd dare tell the lambs in spring_  
_What fate the later seasons bring_  
_Who'd tell the girl in the middle of the pair_  
_The price she'll have to pay for just being there._  
_But leave them alone, let them go and play_  
_They care not for what's at the end of the day_  
_For what is to come, for what might have been_  
_Life has no ending_  
_When you're sweet sixteen. _

Autumn past and the winter came. At Christmas Stephanie came to Miami, just as planned, and stayed there for a week. Even though Madison and Stephanie had been away from each other for a long time, their friendship hadn't changed; they were still as close as ever. Stephanie had to leave after a week, because her holiday ended earlier than Madison's.  
The winter left, and spring was warmly welcomed. All were happy it was spring again, and Madison, Michael and Joachim became better friends each day.

It was the third of April, and Horatio and Suzie were up early. It was Madison's birthday, and they had a giant surprise waiting for her in the kitchen.

"Suzie, do you mind if I have a slice of bread before we wake her up? I'm starving."

"Of course not, Stephanie, take whatever you want. Well, except Madison's birthday cake."

"I would never be as cruel that! Or, well, at least not before she's seen it," she added with a grin.

Both Horatio and Suzie laughed, but went quiet almost immediately, because they didn't want to wake Madison.

"Do you have any cheese?" Stephanie said, with her head almost inside the fridge.

"It should be there somewhere," Suzie said, and bent down beside her.

"No, it doesn't look that way," she said after a while.

"How can you possibly live without cheese?!"

"Madison must've eaten the last of it yesterday."

Stephanie kept looking, and soon emerged with a package of ham in her right hand.

"You mind if a take this?" She asked, showing her the package,

"No, take whatever you want," Suzie said again, without looking up from the papers in front of her.

Half an hour later, Horatio and Suzie went into Madison's bedroom. Stephanie stayed outside – so Madison wouldn't see her.

Madison sat up in her bed, and blew out the candles in the cake.

"Congratulations Madison," Horatio said, hugging her.

"Congratulations honey," Suzie said, also hugging her.

"Your present is waiting outside your room," Horatio said, and as he did, Stephanie walked into the room.

"Steph!" Madison cried, hugging her friend.

"Congrats darling," Stephanie said, smiling at her.

"Thank you! And congrats to you too," Madison said.

"Thanks! My parents planned to give me a ticket to Miami as birthday present, and Horatio and Suzie had the same thought in their head, so well… They arranged so I could come down and see you on our birthday."

Madison answered by taking a big slice of the cake.

"Mm, it is wonderful mom," she said, her mouth full of cake.

"I'm glad you liked it honey."

"Madison I know it's your birthday and all, but I have to get to the lab, we have loads to do," Horatio excused himself, as he bent over and hugged her.

"No problem, I'm glad you came anyway. I'll see you tonight then! We planned to have dinner here, but well Yelina insisted to having at your place," she said.

"Yes, see you tonight, and have a nice day now girls. Bye!"

Suzie followed him out of the room.

"So can we see Michael and Joachim today?" Stephanie asked.

Madison shook her head.

"Sorry, won't be possible. They are in London, visiting their family. They left two days ago, and won't be back until Sunday evening."

"Aww, and I'm leaving tomorrow! Then I won't be able to meet them!" Stephanie sounded more than disappointed.

"I know, and I'm sure they would've been really glad to meet you again, but well… We can't see them today."

As the morning passed, the newly turned sixteen year old girls decided to go and see Ray. Stephanie and Ray had always got along well so Stephanie insisted on going and see him, even if they were going to meet him for the dinner later on.

"Ray? Are you here?" called out Madison from the hall.

A sudden movement to their right made them turn; Yelina was walking out of the kitchen.

"Hey! And happy birthday, to both of you!"

"Thank you," said both girls at the same time.

"I'm glad you could make it Stephanie, it's been a while." They hugged each other, and Yelina said;

"Ray's up in his room with Olivia."

"Oh, okay, thanks Yelina."  
Madison and Stephanie hurried up to the second floor and knocked on Ray's door.

"Hey, can we come in? You're not doing something we shouldn't watch are ya?"

They heard giggles on the other side of the door.

"No, it is ok, we're just talking." Ray's voice said.

Madison opened the door, and they walked into the room.

"Whotcher," Olivia welcomed them. "Wait a minute… You must be Stephanie! Cool to meet you! I'm Olivia, Ray's girlfriend."

"Hey, and yep, I'm Stephanie. Nice to meet you too. We didn't interrupt anything you guys were in the middle of, did we?" She asked, a smile on her lips.

"Nah, you didn't, we were just talking."

"Alright. So what's going on here? Anything fun coming up?" Madison asked.

"Nothing, just talking 'bout school," Olivia answered.

"Boring!"

"Hey, I was thinking about something," Stephanie interrupted, "– can't we go visit Horatio? It's been a long time since I saw the team!" Stephanie said.

"I guess we can. They've been busy with a new case, been travelling a lot to New York. Horatio has been working with Mac Taylor up there. But they came home last night and Mac and his team are probably here," Ray replied.

"Cool! I haven't met Mac for like ages!" said Madison happily.

"I know, me neither. And you're coming too Olivia?"

"Well if your uncle doesn't mind…"

"Oh, stop it Olivia, you know he doesn't. I want you to come!" Madison said.

She smiled; it was funny how good friends she and Madison had become. After all she was two years younger, even if she didn't look it.

"Okay then, let's go!"  
They went down to first floor and into the hall.

"Where are you going?" Yelina asked from the kitchen.

"PD, to visit Horatio," Ray told her.

"But it's Saturday, he should be home soon."

"I know, but Mac and the others from New York are here, and we haven't seen them since last year."

"Alright then. Say 'Hello' to them all from me. And tell your uncle that dinner will be served at eight, so I would be pleased if he's home by then."

"He already knows that, mom! And he wouldn't miss Madison's and Stephanie's birthday party! But okay, I'll tell him that. Bye!"

"Bye, and Ray?"

"What?"

"Drive carefully."

"You know I do."

A quarter of an hour later they arrived at Miami Police Department. Ray parked the car on one of the guest parking spaces and the teenagers walked into the building. They took the elevator up to next floor and as the doors opened they met Stella and Lindsay.

"Ray, Madison and Stephanie! What a great surprise!" Stella said, hugging Madison as Lindsay hugged Ray. When they all had hugged each other at least twice, Ray introduced Olivia.

"This is Olivia, my girlfriend," Ray told them.

"Nice to meet you, Olivia," said Lindsay and shook her hand. "I'm Lindsay. Lindsay Monroe."

"Nice to meet you to, Lindsay."

"And, I'm Stella Bonasera," Stella introduced herself, shaking Olivia's hand.

"Nice to meet you."

"Oh, Lindsay we gotta' hurry, Mac told us we had to meet Alexx and Ryan in a few minutes."

"Gosh, I forgot completely. I'm sorry, but we have to go. Work ya' know," Lindsay said.

"But we'll probably see you later! We're going to stay here for a few more days hopefully."

"Okay, see you later then," Ray said, and the two CSIs left in a hurry.

"So those two are from the New York team?" asked Olivia.

"Yep, but there are a couple of others."

They started walking again and soon they stopped outside Horatio office.

Madison knocked at the door.

"Come in."

They walked into the room. Horatio was sitting in his chair behind the desk, with a lot of papers in front of him.

"Hey Horatio!" said Stephanie happily, before he even could say hello.

"Are we disturbing you, sir?" Olivia asked.

"No, it's okay. And please call me Horatio, I've told you not call me sir!" When Olivia nodded, he continued talking.

"So I guess you're here to see the team, Stephanie?"

"Yep, I haven't met them for I don't know how long! It's been a while."

"It certainly has…"

"Are you getting somewhere with the case?" Ray asked.

"What case?" Stephanie interrupted.

"A case we've been working on for almost two months. A serial killer who murdered a whole family here in Miami two months ago, and then fled to New York. There murdered two other families there."

"Sounds like a big case."

"It is, or maybe I should say it was."

"You've solved it?" Ray asked with interest.

"Actually – yes we have. We solved the case for just half an hour ago, the teams are at the killers home to arrest him. He's back in Miami."

"Well done! And I guess you were the one who solved it?" Stephanie asked, already knowing what he would answer.

"No, _we_ solved it. The teams _together_."

Ray, Stephanie and Madison laughed. Neither Horatio nor Olivia understood what was funny.

"What's so funny?" asked Olivia.

"When you've known Horatio as long as we have you'll understand." Ray said and exchanged knowing glances with Madison and Stephanie.

"He never admits he's the one who solves a case. It's always '_the team' _who solves it _together_."

"But that's the truth. When you two are a part of it you'll know what I mean."  
Ray and Madison smiled to each other – after all these years people took for granted that they would be a part of the team when they got older. That was what they had told people since they were children and now people had learned that that was how it was going to be. Of course Rick Stetler, the IAB-sergeant, had heard about it and immediately he had come to Horatio. He had told him that he couldn't just let his family members become a part of the team whenever it suited Horatio or his family. Rick Stetler in a nutshell.

"I'm sorry, but I really must get-on with this paperwork."

"Okay, we won't keep you from it any longer now, uncle H. Bye," Madison said with a smile on her lips.

"Yes, bye Horatio," Stephanie said.

"Bye."

"And Uncle Horatio?"

He looked up at Ray again.

"Mom told me to remember you that dinner-"

"-will be served at eight o'clock. I know."

"I know you do, but mom keeps thinking you'll forget."

He smiled at his nephew.

"Bye Horatio, it was nice to meet you again," said Olivia.

"Bye, nice to meet you too."

They left and closed the door, but just when they was about to leave, Eric Delko past them.

"Hey, Ray, Madison! And Stephanie, it's been a long time!" He said. "And?" He looked questioning at Olivia.

"This is Olivia, my girlfriend," Ray explained. Delko smiled at her.

"Hi, I'm Eric Delko."

"I've heard about you." He laughed.

"I bet you have. I'm sure these two don't talk about anything else but us CSIs."

"Almost," she said and laughed.

"I'm sorry, but I'm kind of in a hurry."

"New girlfriend," Ray said, and it wasn't a question, because he knew Eric well enough to know he was right.

"Oh, shut up Ray."

The teenagers laughed.

"But he's right, huh?" Stephanie asked.

"Not girlfriend really…But yes, we're going to Starbucks for a cup of coffee."

"I _knew_ it!" Madison said.

"I'm sure you did. But I gotta' go. It was nice to meet you again, Stephanie. And a pleasure to meet you, Olivia." And then he left.

"He was _hot,_" Olivia whispered in Madison's ear.

"I know, but leave it right there, he's old enough to be your father."

"A damn good looking father," Olivia whispered back. Stephanie and Madison laughed.

"Hey, what are you whispering 'bout?" Ray said as he noticed the girls weren't walking behind him.

"Nothing," They said simultaneously, as they started walk alongside him again. To Ray they didn't look as innocent as they said. The amount of giggling that came from them made it suspiciously sound like something else then nothing. Ray gave his girlfriend a suspicious look, but she just giggled a little and kissed him on the cheek.

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Reviews make me happy :) 


	7. Fluctuating feelings

**_A/N: _I'm going to Gothenburg (a city in Sweden), tomorrow morning, and won't be back until Sunday evening/night. So i thought that i better hurry so i could publish this story before i leave! Or else you would've had to wait until Sunday. And as some of you probably know now, i have trouble witht this fic at the moment, but i think i've solved some of the problems. Cos actually i've written ch 8 and 9 too, but to be honest i wasn't sure if I liked what i had written, and didn't know if i wanted to use it or not. I'm still not sure, but i think i'll use it - since i have no other ideas. -.- But chapter seven, Fluctuating feelings, is now finished and here it is. I really hope you like it, and here's some new stuff in this. Madison has problems (just like me -.-) and your about to hear about them. And it'll get worse. I promise. Woops, sorry, i'll not say more now!! Enjoy the reading, and feel free to leave a review - it would be nice to be welcomed back with a couple of reviews on the chapter! **

**_Disclaimer:_ No matter how big CSI Miami fan i am - i'm still not the one who owns it. Jerry Bruckheimer does. A bit sad, but we all have to face the truth.. :P **

**Enjoy!**

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After spending another half an hour at the police department, the teenagers accepted that there was no way for them to meet the rest of the New York team or the Miami team. Almost all of them were out in the field. So they parted ways; Ray and Olivia went back to Ray's while Madison and Stephanie went back to Madison's.

When they got home again, Madison and Stephanie had to get ready for the dinner, which was two hours later.

"I have to take a shower," Stephanie said.

"Yeah, me too."

"Is it ok if I start?"

"Yeah, just make sure you don't take too long – we have to leave soon."

"No problem, it won't take more than fifteen minutes."

Thirty minutes later both of them had showered and were in their dressing-gowns.

"So how's it going with you, Michael and Joachim?"

"Good, why?"

Stephanie looked at her. "Darling, I've known you for thirteen years."

Madison hesitated, and then decided to tell her. "Well… Alright, honestly I don't know. Well yes I do but…"

"What's going on sweetheart?" Stephanie asked, and hugged her friend. She could tell there was something bothering Madison when it came to the two brothers.

"I… I've tried not to think about it, but… Since we started school, when I slept over at Ray's… Well, he told me that there was a rumour going around, saying there was a fight between Michael and Joachim about… me… I, well… At that time I didn't take it seriously, thinking it just was a stupid rumour. But now I can't stop thinking about it and… It's just so confusing! I like both of them so much, and I don't know which one of them I like the most. And when I've finally decided who of them it is, I feel guilty for even having thought of dating either of them… I know that by choosing one of them, I would ruin my friendship with the other one. And I just can't imagine my life without any of them… They have become such a big part of my life since you left, and I wouldn't stand to lose any of them…"

Stephanie hugged her again. Madison's eyes were at this point filled with tears, but she didn't let a single one leave here eyes. "Mad, I'm… I'm sorry... You'll just have to let the time pass, and see what you think about it later. Maybe you'll get over the one you like, and can continue being friends with both of them. And if not, well, then you'll have to choose what matters most to you – if you like one of them enough to let the friendship with the other die."

"You're right. And right now, I'm sure that I'm not going to give up my friendship with either of them."

Stephanie smiled to her. "C'mon, we have to get ready for the party."

A few minutes later, they heard Suzie call from the hall. "Madison, Stephanie, I'm leaving now!"

"What? It's more then one hour left till the party, mom!" Madison yelled back.

"I know, but I've told Yelina I would help her and Molly with the cooking. I mean, it was supposed to be here at our place, and me doing the cooking not them!"

"Okay, see you in one hour then!"

"Bye!" They heard the door shut.

"Yea, why is _our_ birthday party at Yelina's and Horatio's?"

"I don't know actually… First it was supposed to be here, but then just a few days ago, Yelina called and insisted on having it at their place… I guess they wanted to give mom a hand. I mean she's really busy now since she got that new job. In my opinion, they're making her working far too much. But well, she's happy, and I guess that's all that matters."

"I see…"

"But now, we really have to get ready for the dinner, it's already seven o'clock!"

The girls put their clothes on the bed and then started to get dressed.

'Maybe it is good Michael and Joachim are away for a couple of days, then Madison will have time to think about her feelings towards them. – Without having them around,' Stephanie thought as she applied some mascara.

Stephanie didn't know for how long Madison had been fighting her feelings, but she could tell she really needed a break from the twins. Stephanie didn't know which of them she wanted to be more than friends with, and she didn't ask. She knew better – it was Madison's decision when she was going to tell her. She would do it when she felt ready. And even if she hadn't told her, Stephanie had a pretty good idea whom of the twins she liked. After all, they had known each other for thirteen years. To know which one of them was her type was an easy task after so many years.

"You finished?" Stephanie asked twenty minutes to eight.

"Almost..." Madison put her nail polish in the box on her desk.

"Yep, finished!" she said, smiling.

"Alright then. I guess we'll walk, won't we?"

"Yes. I mean it doesn't take more than fifteen minutes, and we'll still be in time."

"Alright, c'mon then!

The girls left the house, and arrived at Yelina's and Horatio's house a few minutes past eight. Perfect timing. They knocked at the door, and were welcomed by Ray.

"Hi again!" He said, smiling.

"Hey!" The girls answered with one mouth.

Olivia joined Ray at the door. "Hey girls! Come in, even though Ray forgets to invite you to come in, it doesn't mean you have to stand on the doorstep all night."

"Yeah, sorry. Come in!" Ray said and grinned a little.

"Thanks," said Stephanie and smiled at Ray. They went into the hall and after taking their shoes off; they went into the kitchen to say hi to everyone. All the grown-ups were in the kitchen – Madison thought it was weird that there had to be four persons to make food for eight, but didn't say anything. After saying 'hi', and being congratulated uncountable times, Stephanie and Madison went into the living room again. They stopped in the door to the living room, looking at the pair in the sofas. Ray and Olivia sat so close together snogging that it was impossible to tell which pair of hands belonged to Ray and which to Olivia. Smiling to each other they headed back to the sofas.

When they stopped beside the sofa the couple were sitting in, Ray and Olivia still hadn't noticed them approaching. Stephanie gawked.

Ray looked up as they separated.

"Uh… sorry…"

"Oh…" said Olivia as she noticed they weren't alone anymore.

Madison just laughed a little. "What are Yelina and Suzie whispering about?" Stephanie asked, looking at the pair behind her who just had entered the living room. The others turned to see Yelina and Suzie standing in a corner of the room.

"But what if they've forgotten?" Suzie hissed. "It's ten past eight!"

"Calm down, that's just proof everything's alright. I would be scared if they were on time, honestly," Yelina replied, smiling a little. Whatever they were discussing, Suzie didn't look entirely convinced.

The teenagers turned their heads back. "What were they talking about?"

"No idea, but it sounds like we're about to find out, doesn't it?" Madison answered, smiling. "I guess it's some kind of surprise, it wouldn't be the first time – would it?"

Stephanie laughed.

"No. Do you remember when Horatio and Suzie hired a 'wizard' for your party and you got scared and ran away?"

Now all of them were laughing. "I remember that!" Ray said. "I thought he was cool, but he scared the crap out of Mad!"

"Yeah, I got scared when he took that coin out from my ear! I ran away to mom and cried."

"Let's hope you don't start crying this time," Stephanie teased. Madison didn't answer at this; she just shot her friend a look.

"But I don't understand… Is it both of your birthdays today?" Olivia asked.

"Well, no, not for real," Stephanie answered. "My birthday was yesterday, but we've been celebrating it together on Mad's birthday since we were kids."

"Oh, I see. I thought it was a bit weird that two friends had their birthdays on the same day. Almost too much of a coincidence."

"Yeah, it would be creepy if it was that way," Ray agreed.

"Anyway – how's it going in New York, Stephanie?" Olivia asked.

Stephanie made a disgusted face before she answered. "I hate New York…"

"Oh, w-", but Olivia could see in all the others faces that she better drop the subject.

"Uh, alright," She said instead and before any of them could answer Madison's phone started to ring.

"Excuse me," she said and picked out her cell phone from her pocket.

"Madison here," she answered.

"Hi Mad! Happy birthday!" Joachim's voice said.

"Aww, thank you!! How's London?"

"I prefer Miami. But it's fun to meet the family again. I've just got a new cousin. She's sleeping most of the time, but she's cute."

"What?! You haven't told me!! What does she look like?"

"Uh… small?"

Madison sighed.

"Hey! I want to talk to her – give me the phone!" Madison heard Michael in the background.

"No, I'm-" But it seemed like Michael had taken the phone from his brother, because a few seconds later she heard Michael's voice talking to her.

"Hey, happy birthday Mad! I suggested calling you, but Joachim said we should wait. But obviously he went out from the room and called you without telling me."

Madison laughed a little, but she didn't find it amusing at all. Joachim hadn't wanted Michael to talk to her. "Thank you! And I heard about your cousin! How is she? What' does she look like?"

"She's gorgeous! Really, really cute. Her name is Leah, and she looks exactly like her mother!"

"Aww, Leah, what a beautiful name!"

"Thanks. So how has your day been? I'm sorry we couldn't stay to see Stephanie."

"Hang on a second… You knew she was coming?"

"Well… yeah… But I couldn't tell you, it would destroy the surprise!"

"Yeah you're right."

"How are you celebrating then?"

"We're having a birthday party at Yelina and Horatio's for Stephanie and me. Everyone's here including Molly and Olivia, celebrating us."

"Nice. Wish I could be there."

"Yeah, but still we'll see each other tomorrow, won't we?"

"Yeah, but it would've been cool to meet the New-," he stopped there but hastily continued. "It would've been cool to meet Stephanie again."

"New what? Do you know what surprise they are planning?"

"Well… maybe…" But she could hear that he did know.

"The new what, Michael!?"

But he just laughed a little. "Sorry, you'll find out soon, I promise. Can I have a word with Stephanie before I have to hang up?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Thanks. Promise me you'll have an awesome birthday and say 'Hi' to Horatio and the others!"

"I will. Bye!"

"Bye!"

And with that Madison handed over the phone to Stephanie. "He knows what they are up to," Madison told Olivia and Ray grumpily. They just grinned. "You know what they are up too, don't you!?" Madison said.

"Yeah, part of it. And it's kinda fun to see you so upset for not knowing. I mean you're about to find out!"

Madison just mumbled something neither Ray nor Olivia could catch. The couple grinned, but left it right there, knowing it would be unwise to put Madison's mood in jeopardy.

A few more minutes past without any of them said anything. Madison left the sofa to offer Yelina and Suzie some help, but they assured her that they didn't need any help. So Madison went back to the sofa, and soon Stephanie joined them again.

"You talked to Michael or Joachim?" Madison asked her as Stephanie sat down beside her.

"First Michael, but just for a couple of minutes. Then Joachim wanted to talk - he didn't sound very happy."

"No, Michael took the phone from his hands," Madison replied.

"I see," but nobody took any notice of what she said – the doorbell rang and Madison rose to get it. When she saw who was standing outside the door she wasn't able to say anything. Her mouth just fell open as she watched the people outside the house. The nine people outside beamed to her.

"Aren't you gonna let them in?" Horatio asked from the kitchen.

"Uh, yeah, sorry guys, it was just such a surprise…"

A few of them laughed, and they made their way through the door.

"Congratulations Madison!" Alexx, who was first through the door said.

"Thanks Alexx! Are all of you here?!"

"No, Hawkes, Flack and Peyton are still in NY, so they couldn't come. But the rest of us are here!" said Stella, who came after Alexx. Madison, who was still shocked to see so many faces there to celebrate her birthday with her, hugged Stella and then turned to the next. A couple of times, the Miami team had been to their parties, but since Speed's death it had just been Madison, Stephanie and their families. And the New York team had never been to any of her parties, with Speed or without him. Thoughts of Speed still made her upset, he had always been really nice to her. Joking and giving her soda when she was a kid. But now she forced those thoughts out of her head and turned to Lindsay, who hugged and congratulated her. Eric Delko came after Lindsay, and then Madison hugged the rest of the guests and she was congratulated uncountable times.

When she finally closed the door after Calleigh, Madison turned to see the whole team from Miami, and a big part from the NY team inside, standing in groups talking.

The CSI team from Miami had almost become a part of the family for her and Stephanie. Both their families where small, and instead of big family parties, Horatio's team had been invited. But after the death of Tim Speedle, there hadn't been any big parties. It was like no one had been in the right mood for that. They had all gotten over Speeds death, some faster than others, but to come to Madison's and Stephanie's parties would've felt... weird?

Speed had always been there, and they hadn't been sure if they could manage to do it without him. To do things Speed had been doing with them was something none of them were sure they could manage doing without him – there would always be a missing 'gap' in their company, reserved for him. But tonight none of them seemed to have Speed on their minds, they were all happy and laughing and talking. Ray, Olivia, Eric and Lindsay were standing, chattering a few metres away. Not far from there Mac, Suzie, Stella and Ryan were talking, glasses of champagne in their hands. Stephanie was also there, without a champagne glass though. On the two sofas sat Alexx, Danny and Natalia talking. Horatio came out from the kitchen with a new bottle of champagne, and joined those who were talking on the sofas. He served champagne to Natalia, Alexx and Danny who raised their glasses and cheered for Madison and Stephanie. At the door to the kitchen Yelina and Calleigh stood talking, with champagne glasses in their hands. After serving all the guests champagne, Horatio poured some in his own glass, and raised it in a silent cheer towards Yelina. Their eyes met, and Yelina smiled back to him, before rejoining the conversation with Calleigh. Madison smiled.

They were all there. Her friends. Her family. All together to celebrate their birthday.


	8. A very Happy Birthday

**_A/N:_ I've just noticed something. In almost every Authers Notes, i say sorry for the long time between the updates, and sometimes promise updates more often. But i've now understood that i shouldn't promise that updates will come more regular ect. Cos i can't promise that. I write when i get ideas. No ideas - no writing. So i'm not gonna say sorry for taking so long time this time (though i want you to understand that i tried to get it finished as soon as possible :P).  
The more reviews i get, the better mood i get, and the faster updates you get. Sounds pretty smart, huh? What i want to say is: Don't forget to review:)  
Sorry, of course you don't have to, but you will certainly make my day if you do. Now, ENJOY!**

**_Disclaimer: _I do not own CSI: Miami. And no, it's not an april joke, since we're still in August. **

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Madison went to Calleigh and Yelina, who were talking close to the door to the kitchen. 

"So this was what you and mom were talking about?" Madison said as she approached them. " 'If they were in time I'd be worried?' "

"Yes it was," Yelina replied.

"You said you'd be worried if we were in time?!" Calleigh asked.

"Yeah, and honestly I would…" Yelina replied, smiling.

"You're right, that was some piece of work that case, and it took us a long time to solve it."

"Horatio told me a little about it, what happened?" Madison asked. "He said it was about a serial killer who killed one family in Miami and then went to New York and killed two families there."

"Yeah, it was a horrible case. Haven't seen another case like it," Calleigh answered, nodding.

"I didn't see much of it with my own eyes, but from what I saw of the evidence and from what I heard they was terrible murders," Yelina said.

Calleigh nodded again. "The killer had no mercy. He killed the parents, the children and even the baby in one of the families."

"But why did he do it? Was there any connection between the murders?" Madison asked.

"He was insane. There was no connection between the victims except the way they were killed. Horrible murders," Calleigh said with a shiver.

"What did he do?" As she asked this, Eric joined them.

Calleigh looked at Yelina, as if she was asking for permission to tell Madison. Yelina looked unsure, it looked like she wanted to say no, that the information wasn't something a teenager should know about.

"Oh, come on! I'm gonna work as a CSI when I get older, I have to know what I'm facing!" Madison said irritated.

"Well…" Calleigh started.

"He cut of their faces…" said Eric, looking disgusted.

"So you mean…" But Madison didn't continue; she wished she hadn't asked. Alexx joined them, but then she noticed their disgusted faces.

"What's going on here? Why do you look like you're gonna throw up that lovely, bubbly champagne?" She asked Calleigh.

"Uh…"

"They told me about the case," Madison answered, starting to recover from the shock.

"You mean the one we solved… Don't tell me you told her about the murders!" She said with horror.

"It was Eric, Yelina and I weren't gonna tell her!" Alexx turned to Eric.

"Well… she's gonna become a CSI… she has to know what she's facing…" he mumbled.

"But seriously Eric! I thought you knew better-"

But Madison interrupted her. "No, Alexx, I begged them to tell me, it isn't their fault."

"I know what you mean, when you have those puppy eyes it's impossible to say no," Alexx said and laughed a little.

After talking with Yelina, Calleigh, Eric and Alexx a little longer, Madison went to talk to the other guests. All of them were mingling with each other, and Madison looked around to see who she could to talk to next. Stephanie, Olivia, Natalia and Stella where now in a deep discussion about the duties and functions of a CSI, and about the education Ray had just started. Last fall, he had started a course that would lead to becoming a CSI, and now that was almost all he could talk about. Madison spotted Mac and Horatio standing a few metres away, and stopped to listen.

"… I don't know if she'll manage, Mac… The evidence and laws says she helped him. And what you believe doesn't matter."

"But we know she was used. She didn't know."

"I know, and I believe her too, but it doesn't matter. She could tell us lies as well as the truth," she heard them say. Deciding that she wasn't in the mood to discuss the case anymore, she went to talk to Danny, Ryan, Molly and her mom. She had heard enough of the case for that evening – probably enough for the next few weeks.

The dinner was one of the funniest and most enjoyable in Madison's life. Never had she been so happy, laughed so much and felt that life couldn't have been better. Her whole family was there, together with Stephanie and the CSI teams. And what made her even happier was that they all seemed to enjoy it as much as she did. She looked around the table, and found Danny and Alexx in a deep conversation a bit further down the table. Calleigh and Eric sat beside them, heads close together, whispering about something. But after a closer look, she noticed they were holding each others hands. Smiling happily, she looked at the people beside Eric; Alexx, Molly and Mac were discussing the differences of teenagers in Miami and New York. After looking around the table, Madison's eyes met Stephanie's. Madison motioned at her to look at Calleigh and Eric,

"Oh, my God!" she mimed. Stephanie rose from her chair and went in to the kitchen, and Madison followed.

"Oh, my God, was it Calleigh he was gonna meet for a cup of coffee?!"

Madison nodded. "It must've been her, who else?! I mean, look at them!" And she was right; the couple were still holding hands when Madison and Stephanie peeked into the dining room through the kitchen door.

"We couldn't have asked for a better birthday, could we?" Stephanie asked.

"No, what else could we ask for?" Madison said as they hugged each other.

It was past 3a.m when the guests left. Laughing and talking, the two CSI teams left the house. Sighing, Madison closed the door after them and joined her family in the sofas. She sat down between Horatio and Ray, and sighed again.

"Tired?" Yelina asked, smiling.

"A bit," she said and smiled back. The other chuckled a little. They too were tired.

"So were you happy with your birthday?" Olivia asked.

"Yeah, I couldn't have dreamed of a better one. Thanks all of you, I can't remember when I had so much fun last time," Madison said, Stephanie nodded in agreement.

"You're welcome," Suzie answered.

"It's not every day you turn sixteen," Horatio said.

"True," Madison said, trying to hide a yawn.

"I saw you!" Suzie said. "It's bed time, so we better get home."

"But m-m-Mom!" Madison said and yawned again.

"No, she's right Madison; we all have to go to bed. It's a school-day tomorrow too, you know," Yelina said.

"Oh, alright. But you two don't have to think about that, Horatio is boss so he can decide when he has to get to work, and he's your boss, so you don't have to worry!" Stephanie said.

Horatio laughed. "She doesn't have to be at work until ten am tomorrow, so she can sleep."

"And when will you be at work?" Madison asked, almost knowing what he would answer.

"I'll sleep for a few hours, and then I'll be at work at half past seven."

"Half past seven?!" Olivia asked with a terrified look on her face. Yelina and Horatio laughed when they looked at her face.

"Being boss doesn't mean I can sleep more and don't have to do my work. Rather, I have to work more, and be at work on time to set a good example for my co-workers."

"But you can come late to work tomorrow if you would like to, couldn't you? I mean, it's not like you are late often," Madison said.

"That's right; I don't have to be there that early, I don't start working until half past eight for real. But I want to be there. I'm used to getting just a few hours of sleep, and if I sleep till half past six tomorrow, then I've at least gotten three hours."

"But Horatio, you can't sleep only three hours one night!" Suzie said, concern in her voice.

"I'm used-"

But Yelina interrupted him. "I'll make sure he sleep at least four hours."

Horatio was about to answer but before he could say anything, Suzie rose.

"Madison, Stephanie, c'mon, we have to get home."

"You want a ride?" Ray asked. "I can drive. You shouldn't have to walk!"

Stephanie looked questioningly at Madison who nodded.

"Yes please, that would be very nice of you, Raymond," Suzie said.

Ten minutes later, Madison, Stephanie and Suzie were at home. They went into the kitchen and sat down around the table.

"Didn't you say we were supposed to get to bed?"

"Yeah, I did but if you want to we could sit down and talk a little before you go to bed."

"Yeah, let's do that – I don't feel like going to bed yet!" Stephanie said.

"Did you see Calleigh and Eric at the dinner, mom?" Madison asked.

"No, what?"

"Well, they were holding hands and whispering."

"Oh, that," said Suzie, smiling. "I didn't see that exactly, but Calleigh told me they had been at Starbucks earlier, and they were looking at each other all the time when they didn't think anyone was watching."

"So they're dating now?" Stephanie asked.

"It seems that way," Suzie said nodding.

Stephanie and Madison giggled. The relationship between those was a surprise. There had always been whispers about them, but they had always stayed professional at work. But maybe they had have hidden feelings all along. Or maybe it was a new way in which they both saw each other. Maybe, maybe, maybe…

"And what do you think about Olivia, mom? You haven't met her like this before, have you?"

"No, and I like her. She's nice, and funny. She and Ray have been together for a while, haven't they?"

"Yeah, I think it's something like two and a half months now."

"Oh, that long? I thought it was like a few weeks," Stephanie said.

"No, they seem to like each other a lot. And they fit together. Both of them have a good sense of humour and like to joke. But Ray is a little more serious and focused on school and work."

"Ray really wants to become a CSI, huh?" Stephanie asked.

"Yeah. I'm really impressed by him. It's a very hard work, with many risks and it's not easy to become one in the first point. But after what I've heard him say, he's never hesitated, and he only has a few years left until he's one of them."

"So you think he'll succeed and walk in Horatio's footsteps?" Stephanie asked.

"Think? I know he will."

"What about you Stephanie? What are you planning to work as when you get older?" Suzie asked.

"Oh, that is such a hard question! And everyone keeps asking it! But I've decided to try to become a layer or something like that."

"But that's great!" Suzie said, smiling.

"But hard," Stephanie replied.

"Yeah, it's not something _anyone_ can become. But Steph will succeed," Madison said.

"Yes, she will. It's in your blood. Your mother is a great layer, and so will you be."

"Thanks guys. And Mad, you're still sure you're gonna walk in Horatio's footsteps? Do you really want to become a CSI?"

"Steph, I've said it since I was ten. Yes, I will work as a CSI. I don't care if you are scared of me getting hurt. I will be among friends who know what they are doing and who are pros."

"True…"

A bit later the girls made themselves ready for bed they talked very little. As they settled into bed, Madison said, "Night."

"Sleep tight."

And with that, the sixteen year old girls closed their eyes, and fell asleep.


	9. A sad day in Miami

**_A/N:_ No reviews on the last chapter, but i'll still update. Thanks to all of you who has been helping me with the chapter. Please notice that i've started school now, and that you shouldn't expect update more often than once a week. And still i can't promise there'll be an update a week, but i'll try. Read and please review. As usual.**

**_Disclaimer:_ Nothing is mine... Jerry Bruckheimer and CBS are the lukcy ones**

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_At around 2 p.m the next day the girls were woken up by Suzie

"Girls, it's two pm and it's a wonderful day. It's Stephanie's last day here and you should really do something together and not sleep all day!"

The girls were awake at once; Stephanie was leaving in three hours! So they went down to the kitchen and ate breakfast or rather lunch fast and decided what to do during the last hours of Stephanie's stay in Miami. After eating, they called Ray and Olivia, and decided that they should meet up in half an hour. So the girls washed and got dressed, and then made their way to Ray's. When the door was opened they weren't met by a smiling couple, but just Ray – without a trace of smile on his face.

"Where's Olivia?" Stephanie asked when he let them in.

"I don't know. I told her to go and buy a cake that we could eat. She was just going to the bank around the corner to get some cash and then buy us a cake. I'm scared something's happened."

"But she'll probably be back any minute," Madison answered, thinking that Ray was over reacting a little.

"She's been away for twenty-five minutes! It shouldn't take more than ten. If there are a lot of people then maybe fifteen. But it's a small bank, and there are never many people. And she isn't answering her cell-phone! The line is dead."

Madison could see why he was worried, but still she didn't think it had to be that big a deal anything. It could happen that there were many people in the bank. "But Ray, I'm sure-"

"Stop it! I can feel there's something wrong! She always has her phone on, and she always answers! And I know she took it with her before she left!" Ray sounded hysterical now.

"Ray you have to calm-" Stephanie started, but stopped when the phone started to ring. Ray went out to the kitchen, with the others close behind. He put the phone to his ear, and answered. During the call, Ray went paler and paler, and when he ended the call, he was white as if he had seen a ghost.

"We're… we're coming," he said. A few seconds later he hung up.

"Who was that? What is it?" The girls asked, now worried.

"Olivia…" He took a deep breath.

"It was Horatio… There's been a robbery at the bank. Olivia's been shot."

It wasn't long before the three of them were in the car on the way to the hospital. No one spoke, and ten minutes later, they went through the entrance and into the reception. Horatio, Yelina and Suzie were already there.

"How is she?" Ray asked at once – before any of them could speak.

"We don't know. She's in the surgery right now."

"Where was she shot? Do you think she'll be okay?"

Horatio hesitated a few seconds before answering. "I, uh… As I said we don't know…"

"Horatio, you know where she was shot and her odds. Is she going to be okay?"

"Ray, I don't know, but it looked bad. When we approached the scene she had lost a lot of blood. She was shot in her stomach. But the paramedics are doing their best, and they'll come and speak to us when the surgery is over."

The words had the same effect as if someone had hit Ray hard in the stomach. He sank down in one of the chairs. Madison and Stephanie hugged each other, and stood there for a long time before they sat down in one of the sofas, waiting eagerly to hear any news of how Olivia was doing. Olivia's parents and her two sisters soon came in, and Horatio told them what had happened. It took almost half an hour before anyone moved or said anything. Eric, Calleigh and Ryan dropped by, telling them all how sorry they were, but after talking to Horatio, they went back to work deciding that the best they could do was to catch the guys who did this. They waited for another half an hour before anyone talked to them, but finally a man approached them.

"Are you the family of Olivia McWilliams?

"Yes." All of them rose, and stood in a circle around the doctor.

"I… I'm very sorry to be the one who tells you this, but she's gone. We lost her."

For the first time that day, Ray lost control. Yelling out his grief, he cried and fell back down in the sofa.

"We've tried to make her come back, but she's gone. I'm very sorry for your loss."

Olivia's mother cried against her husband's chest, and Yelina tried to comfort Ray, while tears were rolling down her own cheeks. Madison and Stephanie cried, and all they could do was to stand there, feeling the big emptiness inside. Horatio hugged Suzie, and then Yelina.

Ray was out of control. He wouldn't listen, he wouldn't move, he just lay on a sofa, crying like they never had seen him cry before.

"Ray, come here," Horatio said. But Ray didn't move, he just kept crying.

"Ray, come here, I want to talk to you." Forcing the eighteen year old to stand, he dragged him away from the others and sat down in a sofa in the corner of the room. There he sat down beside Ray and talked to him. None of the others could hear what he said, but they didn't try to either. They knew that Horatio was the one who – if anyone – could comfort Ray. Horatio was the only one who had been through similar things and they understood that he wanted to make Ray understand that life goes on, and that he would feel better.

But at that moment, none of them could think 'it will get better', this day was a day of grief. This was a sad day in Miami.

Stephanie didn't catch her flight to New York. She had gotten permission to stay in Miami, because she refused to leave without taking proper leave of Olivia. So she stayed, and Monday afternoon they went to the funeral. Horatio, Calleigh, Eric, Ryan, Alexx, Molly, Suzie, Yelina, Ray, Stephanie, Madison and Olivia's whole family, all of them dressed in black.

Even though Madison, Stephanie and Olivia's family were grieving and crying through the whole funeral, it was nothing comparing to Ray. He didn't cry like the others, but they all knew that he was the one that had taken Olivia's dead the hardest. And they all knew why.  
Ray was blaming himself for her death. He thought that if he hadn't sent her to buy that cake and take out some money at the bank, none of this would've happened. Of course no one blamed him; the only ones that could be blamed for her death were those who robbed the bank. The whole team was working on this case and they had been working round the clock to get the men who did this.

Olivia's death had hit them all hard, but worst of all Ray. He had changed, he was like another person. When someone spoke to him it was like if his body was there, but his mind somewhere else. Madison, Michael, Joachim and Ray's family were all starting to get really worried. It was like he was drowning in sorrow, and they had to pull him back up to the surface soon – or else he would drown, and not come back. Stephanie was also really worried, even though she now was back in New York. Every night she called, and all she wanted to talk about was Ray. They all were discussing what to do, but no one seemed to have a good answer to this question. Several times they had tried to make him talk or go to Molly's together with Madison and the twins, but he just answered that he was busy and shut the door in their faces. All Ray really did was to go to school and stay at the apartment. The only thing he seemed to care about anymore was school passing his tests. He buried himself within his books, and stayed in his apartment during the weekends.

About three weeks after Olivia's death, Michael, Joachim and Madison had enough, and decided that they had to go and talk to him.

"Ray, please open the door!" Michael said, knocking on the door to Ray's apartment.

"We want to see you! We miss you!" Madison called, and knocked again.

After one more minute of yelling and knocking at the door, Ray finally opened. "What is it? I'm studying."

"Ray, it can't go on like this. I know that Olivia's death has hit you hard, it hit us all, but you have to understand that we are going through this together! None of us should be forced to go through such thing alone!"

"You have no idea what I'm going through," he said coldly.

"Yes Ray, I do! And if not, please tell us, because we want to be there for you. We are here to listen and help you. We have to help each other with this – or else we can't make it!"

He didn't answer, just looked at her with a face of stone.

"Ray please… Please, let us in, or come with us. We need to talk. We need to spend time with each other! Please…"

"I… Leave me alone Madison… Please… Just leave me alone." And he shut the door.

Madison looked at the twins, in a last hope for help. Carro, a suggestion here, I think you should substitute the high-lighted bit here for 'things were getting desperate now,' it's just that your phrase doesn't quite flow.

"I think we have to talk to Horatio… He is the only one who can talk to Ray," Michael said after a while.

And that evening Michael, Joachim, Yelina and Horatio were invited for dinner at Suzie's place.

"Horatio, we tried to talk to Ray today…"

"And?"

"Well, he still won't talk to us. I think you should talk to him. You're the only one who has… uh…"

"Been through similar things," Horatio said and nodded.

"So will you talk to him?" Joachim asked.

"I've been planning to pay him a visit the day after tomorrow, because he's always home during the weekends."

"What do you think we should do? I mean, what if he refuses to talk to you?"

"I… I don't know. I just hope he'll let me in."

Feeling a little better, Madison continued eating. She was starting to get really worried about her half-brother. She had also taken Olivia's death very hard, but she had become better in dealing with the sorrow. But she was afraid of how Ray had reacted. Now when he was at the beginning of his education to become a CSI, it was very important his tests went all right. And all she could do right now was to wish that the case would be solved, because she suspected that could be the only thing that would bring Ray back. The only thing that would bring her half-brother back.

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I'm sorry... At first i didn't plan to kill her. But i did anyway... 


	10. Solved Case

_**A/N:**_ Urgh, I'm getting ill... After one week in school, I've already managed to get ill. I hate being ill, it's just a whole lot of trouble. You miss loads of lessons and have to make loads of work at home. You can't do anything fun, just lay in your bed and complain of how bad you feel. Does it sound fun? Not really... Urgh. I just hope it'll get better, before it gets any worse... Anyway, chapter ten is finished, so here you are! And if you have time, feel free to leave a review!

_**Disclaimer:**_ The lucky ones are Jerry Bruckheimer, CBS and uh... Well, some other people (I wish I was one of them...)

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The next day Madison felt too miserable to meet anyone so she stayed in her room for the whole day. It was one of those days when she was a wreck – she wasn't able to think of anything else other than Olivia. All day she lay in her bed, without eating anything or doing anything. She felt that she needed to be alone and her friends and family accepted that. They all knew that she – just like Ray, Stephanie and the others – needed time to recover. Today she needed to be alone. The day passed slowly and it was not until late that night that she fell asleep.

The following day she felt a lot better, and was told by her stomach rumbling that she had to start with breakfast before doing anything else. After eating, she took a quick shower and got dressed. After thinking of what she wanted to do, she phoned Stephanie.

"Hi Steph! Am I disturbing you?"

"Uh… No, not really. I was just trying to do some homework, but I'm glad you called. Now I have an excuse not to do it."

Madison chuckled – Stephanie hadn't changed much during the thirteen years they had known each other.

"I had nothing to do, so I just thought I'd call you."

"I'm glad you did. Have you spoken to Ray yet?"

"Yes…No, well… He still refuses to speak to us. We went to talk to him, but he refused to let us in or come with us. At first it seemed like he was going to let us in, but... I dunno, he needs more time."

"Yer… So what will you do now?"

"Horatio said on Friday that he would go and speak to him today, after work."

"Let's hope Ray lets him in."

"Yeah, I really hope so. Or else I don't know what we'll do…" A few seconds of silence passed between them.

"So why didn't you call yesterday?" Stephanie asked.

"Uh… I was having a bad day. I couldn't stop thinking about Olivia. I stayed in my room all day."

"Oh, I'm sorry… I thinking about it every night, you know."

"Me too… It's just so hard to accept that we'll never talk to her again, listen to her jokes or catch her and Ray snogging."

"Shh, it's not time for this now. We have to move on, Darling," Stephanie said when she heard her friend's voice tremble.

"I'm sorry… I just can't believe…"

"Shh, honey… Listen; I know how you feel - I feel the same way. But we have to try to move on. And we have to try not to think about it during the day – since it's all we can think about during the night."

"You're right, of course… You know, you're the same Stephanie I've known for all these years. You're still so smart, still trying to escape your homework. And no matter how many seconds you spend doing your homework; it's still perfect when you give it to your teacher."

Stephanie laughed.

"And you're still the same Madison I've known for all these years. Nothing has changed, you know. Still so smart, so happy and still talking way too much."

Now it was Madison's turn to laugh.

"You're right. We're the same as always."

"Feel any better?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Steph, I just had to talk to you for a few minutes – I just don't want to see Michael and Joachim at the mo'. But I'll not keep you from your homework any longer."

"You're right," She said and sighed. "I have to get this stuff done. I'll talk to you later then. Bye."

"Bye, honey."

A few hours passed, and all Madison did was sit reading. But at half past two, she was interrupted by the door bell. She opened the door to find Horatio.

"Horatio! Aren't you working?"

"I have taken the day off..." He took his sunglasses off, and their eyes met. "We've solved the case."

What Madison felt after hearing these words, couldn't be described with words. The relief inside her, mixed with sorrow and anger. They were such strong feelings that she didn't know what to do, say or even react.

"I… Oh, thank god, Horatio." And with tears in her eyes, she hugged her uncle.

"I'm about to go and tell Ray, but I thought I'd tell you first. And I…I was wondering if you would come with me."

"Do you really," Madison started. "Do you think that's ok, I mean, don't you think Ray wants to talk to you – alone?"

"I think that the best thing for him would be if you, his sister, were there with him. I don't know how he'll react when I tell him this. He… is a wreck at the moment, and all we can hope is that he can let Olivia go after hearing this. But I think he'd like to have you by his side."

"I'll come," she replied, and smiled at her uncle. It was amazing how Horatio understood how people and their feelings worked.

Horatio smiled back, and they went out through the door.

"Have you told Yelina and Suzie yet? And Olivia's parents?"

"I called the McWilliams as soon as we had arrested the suspects, and they came to the police department. I talked to them in person, and then Yelina took over. I wanted to come and tell you and Ray as soon as possible."

"Thanks, I'm glad you did. Have you told mom?"

"She didn't answer her cell. But why is she at work? – she doesn't work at the weekends."

"I know, but one of her colleagues is sick, so she had to get to work and help her with some stuff. But she isn't supposed to be there more than a few hours. She should be back soon."

"Then we'll tell her when we've spoken to Ray."

They sat in silence, both of them thinking. Madison was feeling so much relief, but also felt anger boiling inside her. She wanted to look those who killed Olivia in their eyes. And she wanted them to tell her why they had killed her. Shooting her in stomach wasn't necessary – Madison was sure about that.

"Did they… Did they say what happened? What reason did they give for shooting?" Madison asked after a while.

"Madison, I'm not allowed to talk about the case, and you know that," Horatio said gently.

"I want to meet them. I want to look them in the eye, and hear an explanation."

"Don't we all?" Horatio said, and looked older than Madison had ever seen him. And as she looked into his face, she realized how much he must've gone through, how much his work must affect him, after all these years.

"Madison, I know it's hard, but you have to let it go," he said, and parked the car on the street. They jumped out of the car, the conversation died as they went up the stairs to the second floor. Horatio knocked on the door, Madison standing close behind him.

The door was opened, Ray looked at them.

"Horatio… Madison…"

"Ray, we solved the case," Horatio said, looking his nephew right in the eye. Madison recognized the look on Ray's face; she knew she must've looked the same way when Horatio told her. Ray didn't say anything, just hugged Horatio, who wholeheartedly embraced him in a tight hug.

"Horatio, I…" Ray was speechless; he didn't know what to say.

"I know…" Horatio said and sighed. "I know…" None of them knew how long they stood there, Ray in Horatio's arms, and Madison watching. She was – of course – happy that Ray had finally spoken to them, but at that moment, this wasn't what she was thinking about. She was feeling just as many mixed feelings as Ray was. After what could've been two seconds or two hours, the two separated, and Ray turned to Madison.

"Mad, I'm so sorry… I-"

"Shh, I know. And I'm sorry too, Ray. I'm so sorry."

And the half-siblings hugged each other. And no matter how long Ray and Horatio had hugged each other, it was nothing compared to this. The two of them felt so close during this moment. Not just physically, but also in their minds and feelings. The swell of grief and sorrow inside them didn't feel as big as it had before, and knowing that there was someone who understood you perfectly, made the two of them feelmore relieved than they could tell.

They separated, and Ray smiled down at Madison, who smiled back.

"How does 'let's take a walk' sound to you?" Ray asked, looking at his half-sister.

"We need that," she said and nodded.

"I'll give you guys some time alone, I'm off to see Suzie"

"Thanks for everything, Horatio. Tell the team how thankful we are, will you?" Ray said.

"Of course. I'll see you later then."

"Bye," the siblings chorused to Horatio's retreating back which gave a wave before driving off.

"A walk on the beach?" Madison suggested. Ray lived close to the beach, so it didn't take them long to reach the water-front.

"You know what's worst of all?" Ray asked as they walked in the surf.

"No?"

"That Olivia certainly didn't deserve this. Nobody does, of course, but Olivia was so full with joy and laugh and she really wanted to live her life fully. And now she can't." His voice trembled towards the end, and he looked down at his feet to hide his tears.

"Ray-" Madison made him look up at her, and she saw the tears in his eyes, "this wasn't your fault. Nobody but the one who pulled the trigger can be blamed for this. Nobody."

"I… I wished it would feel that way too," he whispered.

"You will feel better again," she said. She could see the doubt in his eyes.

"You will," she repeated.

They continued walking in silence for a while.

"Did he tell you anything about the case? Who did it?"

"I don't know. He refused to tell me who, how many and why."

"We have to talk to him. Make him realize that he can't hide it from us. We have the right to know."

"Ray, he'll tell us when he can, and when he knows what the real answer is."

"I miss her…" He said.

"Me too." It was her voice that trembled this time. The half-siblings hugged each other again.

They would get through this - _together_.

When they came home to Yelina and Horatio that evening, Suzie was already there. The whole family meeting more than once a week was not a common occurrence, but this evening they all felt they needed to sit down and talk. Or at least spend time with each other. They all felt that being with the family was what they needed.

They sat in the living room, Horatio and Yelina on one sofa, Suzie, Madison and Ray on another.

"… but Horatio, you can't not tell us anything. We have the right to know parts of it, at least!" Ray said.

"You have to tell us what you told Olivia's parents. We have the right to know as much as they do," Madison said.

Deep inside Horatio knew they were right, but still he knew the truth would hurt them as much as the false thoughts they lived with.

"I... I will tell you what I told the McWilliams. We arrested the five people that robbed the bank. Four males and one female."

"Who shot Olivia?" Ray asked.

Horatio hesitated.

"They were all using stolen guns. And all of them wore gloves… Which means that we can't prove who pulled the trigger. We know which of the guns she was shot with, but… It's impossible to put the gun in any one of the suspects' hands."

The truth hurts. Madison had known that all along, but now she really understood the truth in the words. The truth usually hurt more than you expect it to.

"But there must be some way to…?"

Horatio shook his head with a sad look upon his face. "I'm sorry, it's impossible. We've tried everything. Everyone in the team has been on it."

"So what will happen now?" Suzie asked, but the look upon her face, showed she already knew.

"They will all be arrested and charged with murder, but we can't tell who really did it."

"In all likelihood probably life, or at least very long sentences for shooting so many people because we can prove that all guns were used to shoot people during the robbery, which means that we can arrest them all for murder. That, plus serious robbery and hopefully we'll be able to arrest them for stealing those guns too. They'll get life - all of them," Yelina said.

"But we still don't know who killed Olivia…" Ray said quietly.

"Ray, I know that it means a lot to you, but they were all responsible for her death. You'll have to think of it that way."

"Still we don't know who pulled the trigger…" Ray said, leaving the room. He went back into his room on the second floor.

'We will get through this,' Madison thought. 'We have to…'


	11. Part 3

**_A/N:_ Okay everybody. Here it is... School's being a pain in the ass at the moment+ i've been ill for some days. So I've not written as much and as regular as usual. This chapter isn't beta read by anyone, so i have to warn you for some spelling and grammar. I've tried to check it myself, but it's possible there still are grammar and spelling wrongs. Please enjoy Part 3 and don't forget that a review's always welcome.**

**_Disclaimer:_ No, i do not own them, no matter how much i want to. CBS and Jerry Bruckheimer are the lucky ones. **

* * *

_And your friends are with you to talk away the night  
Or until Mrs Wrong switches of the chippy light.  
Then there's always the corner  
And the street lamp's glare  
An' another hour to spend with your friends, with her,  
To share the last cigarette and your secret dream  
At the midnight hour...  
At seventeen._

Madison and Stephanie had known each other for so long now that a special friendship had grown. A friendship that had existed for so long that it could not be destroyed. It didn't matter how long it was since they met last time, their friendship was too strong to get destroyed for such thing. It could take months till' they met next time, but it didn't matter. Questions that hadn't been answered last time could be dusted of and be asked once again, in hope they would be answered this time. Discussions from last winter that were not finished could be ended in the spring. It didn't matter, because their friendship was too strong to get destroyed.

That Ray and the others couldn't blame one specific person for Olivia's death was hard to accept. But days past. And days became weeks that became months. It had taken months and again months for them to get over Olivia's death, but they recovered. It was a slowly progress, but still they felt better the longer time past.  
Over a year had now passed, and they were as good as fully-recovered. Or at least as recovered they could be at the circumstances. Ray hadn't got a new girl-friend, and that was probably because of the scars that still existed after Olivia's death. They all suspected that the reason he didn't have a partner, was that he thought it would be an insult to Olivia's memory.  
But except for that, they were all getting along pretty good. Ray's first year in his education to become a CSI had been great. He got full marks on the end-of-term exams, and all of them could see the pride in Horatio's eyes. Ray had now two and a half years left, and then he would join his uncle and friends in the CSI team.

---

"Where's Joachim?" Madison asked as she let Michael into the apartment.

"He's sick, it's the flu or something," Michael said as he took one of his shoes off with the other foot.

"Aw, poor Joachim. Promise me you'll tell him hi from me when you leave."

"Of course," Michael said and they went into the living room.  
They sat down in the sofa.

"I rent a movie. Or well, I and Joachim had planned to watch it both of us, together with you, but now it's only us."

She smiled. "Poor Joachim."

Michael showed her the DVD he was holding in his hand.  
'The dance of sisters.' Madison read on the front of the DVD.

"Many people say it's really good. And we thought of you and Stephanie when we first heard of it. It's about two sisters, who are trying to show the world how good they are at dancing, but no one really sees them. And, it is a reminder for you that we still want to see you dance."  
She laughed.

"Thanks Michael. And I will tell you as soon as I know the date of the new show. But I still need to practice a bit more. I want it to be perfect," she said.

"After what I've heard you're amazing. Everyone said that the show you and Stephanie had just before she moved was amazing."

Madison blushed, and looked down at her knees.

"So shall we watch the movie then?" Michael asked, changing the subject so Madison would feel more comfortable.

They sat close together in the sofa, with a blanket round their shoulders, and watched the movie in silence. The movie was, just like Michael had said, very good. At the end, Madison cried. 'She wasn't supposed to die', Madison thought while tears were running don her cheeks. 'Not now, when they finally got the roles!'  
But one of the sisters died, and Madison cried to Michaels shoulder. But the film was great, and when after Michael had pressed the 'stop' button, he turned and looked into Madison's wet face.

"I who hoped you'd like the movie," Michael said and smiled. He wiped the tears off from her face, and she laughed – though her eyes were still wet.

She watched how his face came closer. It couldn't be more than a few inches away... five... four... three... She could feel him breathing, and their lips wasn't more than two inches from each other now.  
But when she first thought she would kiss him, she was wrong. A voice inside her was screaming one thing, and another voice was screaming another thing. She listened to the last voice, and turned her head.  
When she turned back, the distance between them were big again, and she looked into his eyes.

"I... I'm sorry Michael... I can't..." She could see how hurt he was.

"It's uh... It's ok..." Even though his face was calm, and didn't show any emotions, his eyes still spoke for him.

"Michael, I-"

"I better leave," Michael said and rose and then took the film from the table. He left the room and she heard him take his shoes on in the hall. Realizing what she had done, she rushed after him.

"Michael!" She called. But it was too late – the door shut close before she had time finish saying his name.  
Tears left her eyes, and she went back into the living room, and fell down into one of the sofas. She had ruined it. She had ruined all her chances to finally get together with Michael.

'But,' she thought and tried to see it from the bright side, 'it would've ruined my relationship with Joachim.'

_Now you've ruined your relationship with Michael instead_, a voice said inside her.

'No, we might be able to keep being friends... if I just talk to him...'

But the voice answered;_ you don't believe in what you're thinking, and you know it. _

"No!" She cried out loud. 'I've not ruined it! It can't just end just like that...'

_Fairy-tales always end well, but maybe your life isn't a fairy-tale,_ the voice said.

She cried, and she cried and she cried. She cried until there was no tears left, and her eyes were red and swollen.  
After that, she just laid there on the sofa, watching the room become darker as the sun slowly left the sky. The long for Michael had been terrible, but feeling the big emptiness instead of the long for Michael was even worse.  
She heard the door shut about one hour later, and knew her mother had come home. Usually she would've hurried into the bathroom, and not coming out until there was no signs of tears. But now she didn't care. She didn't move.

"Hey sweety," Suzie said, and bent down to kiss her daughter on her cheek.

"Darling, what is it? Have you been crying?" She asked when she noticed her daughter's face.

"It's nothing. Michael just left - the movie was so sad that I cried. It's nothing else."

"You sure?"

Madison nodded.

"Alright, honey. Wasn't Joachim here?"

"No, he has the flu or something."

"Oh, poor boy... you hungry?"

"A bit... Need any help?"

"No, it's okay. If you want to talk, I'm in the kitchen."

Madison knew that her mother didn't understand what had happened – she was just so 'over-protecting' and loving, that whenever Madison felt bad, she had to show her that she was there for her.  
She went into her room, and lay down on her bed. She couldn't believe it had been so close, and then she'd just ruined it.  
No matter how much she wanted to cry, she couldn't. Her eyes were empty of tears, but that didn't stop her heart from crying.  
She had been in love with Michael for over a year now, and now, when the chance finally had been there – she hadn't taken it.  
Her mother called that dinner was ready, and Madison went to eat. Complaining that she didn't feel alright, she was allowed to leave a bit sooner than she would've left usually and she went back into her room. The phone rang, but she didn't want to talk to anyone at the moment, so she didn't move, and let Suzie take the phone.  
A knock at the door, and Suzie came in.

"Madison, it is Stephanie." And Suzie gave the phone to Madison.

"Hi," Madison answered without any enthusiasm.

"Hey Mad," Stephanie said, not noticing her friends sad voice. "Guess what!"

"I dunno, tell me," she said, still without enthusiasm.

"I've got a new boyfriend!! You know the guy I've mentioned a couple of times – Luke?"

"Yeah. Congrats hun, that's great."

"Yeah I know but-. Hang on... Are you alright, sweetie, it sounds like you're sad."

"I uh... No it's nothing, I'm just so tired. And I've got a big headache too."

"Aww... I'm sorry if you want me to hang up-"

"No of course not. So what's he like?"

"He's long, with pretty long and brown, curly hear. He is really cute. Mom  
and Dad don't like him though... I don't know why – he's so nice and cute!"

"I believe you. Hey hun, I'm sorry, but I feel too bad to talk right now. I can't think at the mo'. I'm really glad for your sake. Tell him 'hello' from me."

"Okay, I hope you get better soon! Bye."

"Bye."

Madison had to go to school the next day, no matter how bad she felt. She was ignored by Michael all day – every time she tried to look him in his eyes, his head was turned in another direction. All night she had been laying awake, thinking of what to do and what options there was left. And finally she decided that she could choose between being ignored by Michael and still be friend with Joachim. Or trying to make Michael realize that she loved him and that the only reason she had turned her head was because of her fear of how Joachim would react. Then, if he thought she was telling him the truth, and forgave her – she would have to worry about Joachim. But whenever she tried to talk with him, or was even close to him, he was always talking with someone else, and hurried away – before she had chance to even open her mouth.  
A couple of times, when Michael ignored her openly, she was so close to tears, she had to run into the girls' bathroom, and stay there until she had calmed down.  
When they had ended the last class of the day, she waited outside the school building, determined to talk to Michael. After waiting a couple of minutes, Michael finally appeared in the door opening. He started to walk down the stairs – and Madison hurried forwards to talk to him. When he noticed who was coming closer – he turned to a friend not far away, and started to talk to him.  
With tears in her eyes, Madison hurried back home, and as soon as she was back in the apartment she lay down on her bed and cried.  
'I have to tell Stephanie... I need her...' But she knew her friend was in school, and there was no chance in the world she would answer her cell phone.  
So she went to the kitchen and ate, and waited for the time to pass. A few hours later, she was sure her friend must've ended school, so she took the phone and called Stephanie.

"Hey Mad!"

"Hey Steph... I need to talk..."

"What's up sweetie?"

And Madison talked, and she didn't stop until she was finished, because she knew it would be easier if she said it all now when she had started.

"Oh, Madison... Was this why you didn't want to talk yesterday? Honey, you should've told me, I wouldn't have babbled about Luke if I knew what had happened! I'm so sorry hun..."

"I don't know what to do, Steph... I really tried to talk to Michael today – but he refused to even look at me!"

"He really likes you, and we both know it. You have to talk to him. If you wait, then it might be too late."

"But-"

"Mad, if you love him, you have to do it."

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**_A/N 2:_ A little surprise in this one, huh? I hope you liked it, and feel free to send me a review. **

**Thank you. **


	12. Twin trouble

**_A/N:_ I'm a bad person, and i know it. Urgh, i have no excuses for not updating this time... Except for the fact that i'm so tired of this story at the moment. But ah, i am going to finish it, i promise. Hope you guys like it, and thanks to everyone who sent me reviews - those are the one and only thing that makes me write. Enjoy.**

**_Disclaimer:_ I own nothing. **

* * *

Madison knew her friend was right. As usual. She chatted to Stephanie for a few more minutes before ending the call and walking out into the hall. 

"Where are you going?" Suzie asked from the kitchen. "It's dinner soon."

"How soon?"

"In an hour."

"I'll be back soon. I have to talk to Michael about a school project we're doing together," she lied.

"Alright. But be back by dinner."

"I will," she called back, leaving the apartment. During the walk to the Watson's, Madison lost count of the number of times she felt like turning back. But Stephanie's words were still in her head, and they made her keep going.

'_If you wait, then it might be too late.'_

She turned to the street where Michael and his family lived. Four houses away… Three… Two…

She stopped in front of the house she had been to so many times in the last two years. Two years? Wasn't it more? No. But it felt like so much more. It felt like a lifetime, and now…

…now everything might be gone.

Because of her mistake. Maybe there wouldn't be more visits to the Watson's. Taking a deep breath she walked up to the door. She pressed the doorbell, there were a couple of hurried steps on the other side of the door, and then it was opened.

Michael's face was expressionless but, again, his eyes spoke for him. His eyes told her he was still really hurt by what she had done.

"Please don't slam the door in my face," she said and hoped he wouldn't do just that. "Michael, we need to talk. There is an explanation for what I did, and I'm begging you to listen," she continued when he didn't move, or reply. At first she thought he would slam the door in her face, but he didn't. He sighed, and joined her outside.

"I'm taking a walk," he yelled over his shoulder and then shut the door behind him.

They walked a few yards before Madison spoke, "Michael, what I did when we met last time… I didn't do it because I don't like you, because I do. A lot. But I don't know if you understand how hard this is for me. I know, and I know you know too, that Joachim likes me. Just like you do. And I like you both-" Michael stopped. "I like both of you, but in two very different ways." Michael started walking beside her again. "I like Joachim a lot too; he's a good friend of mine, just likr you are. But when I think of you, I think of you as more than a friend, Michael. But since I like both of you so much, and I know Joachim likes me too, I can't just hurt him. Don't you see how hurt he would be, if his brother and the girl he likes became a couple?"

Michael didn't answer, just kept walking beside her. They had now come to a small town park. They kept walking in silence, and neither saying anything for a while. Madison kept the silence to let Michael think. When she realized he didn't plan to answer her, she continued. "I love you Michael, I really do. But I… I just can't hurt your brother. Not like that."

There was another lengthy silence before Michael answered.

"And what about… what about us?"

She smiled, and when she looked into his eyes, she said the opposite of what she had planned to.

"Things can exist without… without really existing, you know."

When Michael didn't understand things, his face contorted into a very funny look, that made Madison laugh and this wasn't an exception. She couldn't help but laugh, and then, without thinking, she hugged him tightly. At first he just stood there, unresponsive but then he hugged her back.

"I'm sorry I wouldn't look or talk to you in school," he whispered in her ear. "I just… I thought you'd come to me with something like 'I like you Michael, but not like that'. But knowing you feel the same way for me, as I feel for you makes me feel a lot better already."

She smiled, and he kissed her lightly on her cheek. She looked up and faced him. His face was relaxed, and she could see happiness in his eyes. She knew he must see the same thing in her eyes.

"Don't tell Joachim about this. Please, Michael, don't."

He didn't reply.

"Michael, I'm begging you. Don't tell him. We have to do it when the time is right. And that is not now."

"I won't... But until then?"

"We'll be discreet," she replied, and on her toes, without really thinking, she kissed him. He kissed her back full heartedly.

Later that night, when she had said goodnight to Michael, she was sitting on her bed. All through dinner she had been happy, laughing all the time. Her mother had noticed her behavior to be a lot different from when she left the house, earlier. But she knew her daughter needed privacy, and therefore didn't ask what she had done in the hour she had been out.

Now, when Madison sat on her bed, her untouched homework in front of her, she couldn't think of anyone or anything else other than Michael.

She already missed him. She wanted to be in his arms. She wanted to be in his arms until all problems were solved, and the sun was high in the sky again.

She woke up happy the following morning, without remembering why. And then all that had happened the night before came back to her. Michael. She sighed happily. She was so happy that she wanted to jump, sing and dance.

_You've just ruined your friendship with one of your best friends, _a voice inside her told her.

'But I've got Michael'she replied to her thoughts.

_Ready to win Michael, but lo__se Joachim then? _The voice asked.

' … '

_Farewell Joachim, _the voice said cruelly.

'I've still got Michael…'

_For two years we've known each other,__ Joachim, but that's enough._

'Stop it!'

_I hope you're proud of yourself._

'I love Michael.'

_Farewell Joachim._

Madison impulsively picked up her schoolbook and threw it against the wall. It felt good. And just as suddenly as the voice came, it was gone.

Even though she would never admit it to the voice ('what the hell was that anyway?!'), the things it had said had an effect on her. She felt guilty, and knew deep inside it was right in everything it said.

She ate breakfast, then showered and dressed. Forty-five minutes later she was walking up the stairs to the school building and as she had suspected, Michael was there waiting for her. He made an attempt to hug her, but she looked him right in his eyes and they told him not to do something that told people they were more than friends.

School went by, and Madison was happy all day and did her best during all her lessons. Michael did as she had asked him; acted as if they were nothing but friends. But none of them could help laughing and smiling in each others presence.  
Joachim was still sick, but Michael told her he would probably be back by the following day.

The day went by, and when school was over, the two of them walked home slowly.

"Michael, I've been thinking…" He thought he knew what was coming. "We can't… we just can't do this to Joachim."

"But Madison… I accept that we should keep it quiet, until he's ready to hear it. But what about us? Are we gonna ignore all our feelings and do what would make everyone else happy, and not what we want?"

"I.. Oh, I don't know Michael! I feel so guilty when we do this, but all the same I love you, and now when I know you love me back, it's much harder to ignore it."

He didn't reply, instead he put his arm over her shoulders.

"Michael!"

"What? Friends can do this!"

She tried to give him an angry look, but she couldn't. She was nothing but happy that he had his arms round her shoulders.

Instead of giving him an angry look, she smiled and laid her head on his shoulder.

When Stephanie called that evening, Madison was in a much better mood.

"You've talked to Michael?" Was the first thing Stephanie asked.

"Yes…" And Madison told her everything that had happened and that had been said between them.

"Thank god, I'm so glad it turned out alright!" Stephanie said when Madison was finished.

"I know, I'm so happy!"

"But what are you going to do about Joachim?"

"I don't know… Sometimes I just feel so evil, and I'm scared I might lose him as a friend. I don't know if Michael realizes how hurt he would be if he found out. And we can't hide it forever."

"No you can't. And Madison, don't stay quiet for too long. That might make the damage even worse."

"I'll try…" Why did Stephanie sound just like that stupid voice? Deep down Madison knew how damaging this whole relationship could be for Joachim.

"Mad, did I tell you about Luke's eyes?" Stephanie asked now when she had made sure her friend would tell Joachim as soon as possible.

"No! Tell me, how is he?"

"He's so cute! You can't imagine his eyes! They are grey, and sooo beautiful! And he's so strong! Sometimes he lifts me up!"

'I can lift you up too, hun. Anybody can,' Madison thought, but kept her thought in her head.

"Wow."

"Yeah, he's amazing Mad. Amazing." Stephanie was lost in her thoughts, and Madison could've said anything and still she wouldn't have reacted.

"How long have you been together now then?"

"Three days," Stephanie said, still lost in thoughts. "I really love him, Mad."

"But didn't you say your parents don't like him?" Madison asked, trying to make her friend come back to earth.

"No, and I can't see why! I mean, yes, he might seem a bit… rougher than other guys I've dated – but when you get to know him you realize he's not like that! He does anything for me, and really loves me."

"Well, Steph, I'm not saying I'm agreeing with your parents… but if they really think he isn't for you… well…" She stopped. "Whatever, forget it."

"You've not even met him, and you're agreeing with mom and dad!"

"No, I'm not! I'm just trying to tell you to be careful. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I won't. He would never hurt me."

"If you say so, then I believe you," Madison said, but she wasn't completely honest.

"Anyway, I've got to go. But Mad, you have to promise me you'll tell Joachim. Soon."

"I will. I care too much for our friendship not to tell him."

"Good. And I trust you on that. So don't let me down, Mad. 'Cause both of them mean too much to you. Don't let this disappear." The sudden seriousness in Stephanie's voice made Madison surprised. It wasn't often her friend was _that_ serious.

"I won't. I promise."

"Bye sweetheart. Take care."

"You too, honey. You too."

After the call, Madison promised herself that she'd speak to Michael about this tomorrow. They had to tell Joachim.

What if he got mad? What if she lost him as friend? What if the next day was the last day they would be friends? The last day they laughed and talked to each other? She put those thoughts out of her head. It would be alright. It had to.

Instead she started worrying about Stephanie. She couldn't help but thinking that this Luke maybe wasn't as nice as Stephanie said. It wasn't that Madison didn't trust Stephanie, because she did, but sometimes her friend could be… Too trusting and blind towards the truth.

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**Feel free to leave a review, it's always wonderful to hear what people think. Thanks.**


	13. Accidents

**_A/N:_** Yeah... Feels like ages since last update.. And i'm sorry. I really am. But i'll be honest. I'm not sure if i'm gonna continue writing this story. I don't know for sure yet, but i have to warn you, that it's not impossible that this is the last chapter. I hate being forced to say it, but this story feels more like something i have to do, than something i want to do. Maybe i just have to sit down and write more on it, and i'll get back the love for it. Maybe. So when the holidays start, i'll try to figure out what i want to do with ´Through the Teen Years. Until then, you'll have to stay patient. Thanks to you guys who has been waiting. You're awesome. Now we'll leave stuff like that, and focus on the new chapter! Thanks for reading!

**_Disclaimer:_** Almost nothing is mine. Michael, Joachim, Stephanie are mine, but the rest belongs to Jerry Bruckheimer + loads of other people...

_

* * *

_To see Joachim the following day was horrible. Madison couldn't look him in his eyes. She felt like a traitor. It felt like if she had broken a promise. She felt doomed to lose Joachim as a friend now. To look him in his eyes was too much. She had let him down.

But Joachim didn't notice anything different. He didn't notice she wasn't looking him in the eye, and he didn't notice that Michael and Madison were speaking more politely to each other than usual. Joachim laughed and talked all the time, since he had been home without any friends for several days.

Madison wasn't completely sure if he really thought of her more than a friend. But maybe that was just her imagination and a wish, she thought.

The day passed, and when school was over, Joachim asked Madison and Michael if they wanted to join him and a couple of friends and go the beach, but they said no. They were happy that they would have an opportunity to be alone; they finally had time to talk about the problem they knew they had to face. Soon.

"Michael, we have to tell him. Today," Madison said when Joachim had left them alone.

He sighed. "I know you don't think so, but I do know what that might mean. I know you might lose him as friend. But there's one thing you haven't thought of. He's my friend. He's my brother. And I might lose him too, you know."

She didn't answer immediately. She was surprised and didn't want to admit it, but she hadn't thought that it would matter as much for him as for her. - If not more.

"Of course… I don't know why I haven't thought of that. I'm sorry. But don't you agree we have to tell him?"

"That's what I've been thinking all the time. If you hadn't stopped me, I would've told him the day we got together."

"Well… Sorry. I was scared of how he might've reacted."

He smiled down at her. They were sitting at a park bench, Michael at the edge, and Madison lying with her head on his knee.

"I'm scared of how he will react too. But we have to do it, and we have to do it tonight. When he comes back from the beach; let's ask him to take a walk with us, and then we tell him in here, in the park."

She smiled and looked up into his face. He bent down, and kissed her. None of them said 'it will be all right'. Because none of them knew if it would be. But there was one thing they knew. No matter what happened – they would still have each other.

About two hours later, they made their way home to Joachim and Michael's place. To their surprise Joachim was already there waiting for them.

"Where have you been?" he asked when they walked into Joachim's room.

"Looking for you," Michael lied, and sat down beside his brother in his bed.

"Why did you look for me?"

Michael gave Madison a quick look, and she gave an imperceptible nod.

"Uh, I feel like taking a walk. You coming Joachim?" Michael said instead of answering his brother's question.

"Yeah, sure. Let's go!"

They went into the hall and put their shoes on. Madison dawdled out through the door, and they went out in the mild night. The sun was on its way down, and giving the sky a light pink tinge. A few clouds could be seen here and there in the sky. It was a typical day for the beginning of May in Miami.

They walked in silence for a while and Madison thought Joachim started to realize there was a reason behind their choice to take a walk. They walked, and just like Michael and Madison had planned, the park slowly came into their view.

"Uh, Joachim?" She started, after Michael had given her a meaningful look.

"Yeah?"

"Well… We didn't ask you to take a walk with us for nothing…"

"Surprise me," he said, smiling. "So why did you want to talk to me in private?"

"Well…" Madison looked at Michael for help.

"Uh, there's something we've got to tell you, bro."

At this time they had reached the park, and they were now a in the middle of it.

"Uh… When you were sick," Madison begun.

"Yes?"

"Uh, Michael and I…"

There was something in his face that changed when Madison said this.

"Yeah?"

"Well… Michael and I are… together. We're a couple now."

Joachim stopped. His face was, unlike Michael's at situations like this one, showing precisely everything he was thinking at the moment.

"Wow," he said, and his voice had changed to a tune totally different form his usual. His face showed nothing but disappointment. Not anger, not even – of what Madison could see – sorrow. But the big disappointment in his face was clear as day. With that, he turned and walked away from his brother and Madison. And he didn't look back.

After seeing Joachim's face, Madison knew what the voice that had spoken to her so many times had been. It had been her conscience.

But she hadn't listened to her conscience. She had refused to face the truth, and for that, she had lost one of her best friends.

Tears flowed up in her eyes, and she turned and hugged Michael. He hugged her back, but didn't say anything. Nor did he cry.

'What have I done?'

"He… He hates me, Steph. He hates me." Madison was crying. Her pillow was all wet, and now when she sat on the floor there was a small pool beside her.

"Oh, sweetheart…" Madison hadn't called Stephanie to hear consoling words or get hopes that she might get Joachim back. And Stephanie knew that. She had called her to have a shoulder to cry on. There was nothing Stephanie could say or do to make her friend to feel better right now. The best Stephanie could do was to be there.

The following day in school was one of the worst in Madison's entire life. Joachim acted as if he had no brother, and as if Madison didn't exist. This was, if possible, even worse than when Michael had ignored Madison.

Both of them felt so terrible that having each other didn't seem like much comfort now. Their relationship didn't seem nearly as important when Joachim ignored and hated them for it.

Later that day, when Madison was home from school, the phone started to ring.

"Madison here," she answered.

"Mad, you can't believe what he's done! He's such a jerk! I can't believe it!"

"What?? Michael, what're you talking about?"

"I know I didn't tell you, but this morning, Joachim "accidentally" dropped my toothbrush in the toilet. I just thought I'd ignore it, if he felt better doing that, fine. Then when he got home, he 'borrowed' my laptop without asking me. I had my whole essay for tomorrow there, and he "accidentally" got a virus on my laptop! My essay is gone!"

"What?! But you've worked with that one for a week!"

"Tell me something I don't know already," he said morosely.

"Do you want me to help you with it? Cos Mr. Franklyn will definitely not believe you if you told him the truth. It's like coming to a lesson and saying 'my dog ate my homework'. Shall I come over? Or maybe it's better if you come here… since you don't have a computer anymore…"

"No, it is ok, mom told me I could use hers. She's in the kitchen now, yelling at Joachim," she could imagine his satisfied smile.

"Alright then, but Michael, don't be too mad at Joachim, cos-"

"How can you possibly protect him?! He ruined a week's work! I have to give the essay in tomorrow – an essay that doesn't even exist anymore!"

"I'm not protecting him, but try to remember that it was us who made him-"

"Crazy," Michael finished the sentence.

"No, frustrated and disappointed."

"I've got to start working. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye, I love you."

"Love you too."

Weeks past without any change in Joachim's behaviour. Michael had to suffer many of Joachim's "accidents", and was now about to explode every other second. But Madison made him stay calm by doing nice things, and spending more time than ever with him.

"You want to go to the beach?" She asked after a particularly bad day.

"No, I'm gonna get home again, and tear him apart."

"Michael, come on… You're much more mature than that!"

He looked at her, and she put her puppy eyes on. He growled, and then followed her out of the house. Hand in hand, they walked down the road, until they finally reached the water.

They sat down at the waterside, letting the waves wash their legs.

"You've not spoken to Ray recently, have you?" Michael asked silently.

"No… about a week or two ago. Why?"

"Nothing special… I just… I'm wondering how he's doing, you know. He's been so focused on his education nowadays, that it's not very often I meet him. I just wonder… I wonder how he really feels. 'Cause by putting so much effort on school and education, I have the feeling he does so to avoid being forced to think of how he feels."

"I think you're wrong. Ray and I have known each other for so long time, and without really asking, I know he's all right."

Michael didn't reply, and they sat in silence for a long time, listening to the waves rhythmically roll over the beach.

They heard someone walking towards them from behind, but didn't turn around to see who it was.

Joachim sat down beside them, and still none of them spoke. Madison felt Michael stiffen, but neither of them acknowledged him.

"Hi," Joachim whispered silently. The tone of his voice made Madison look at him and she replied, "Hey."

Michael still showed no sign of having noticed his brother's presence.

"Uh… Madison, Michael… I'm… I'm sorry for these last couple of weeks… I know I've been acting like a jerk, but-"

"Well, that's something new," Michael interrupted.

"Michael, shh!"

"Well… Ever since you told me about you're relationship I've been a fool, I know that… And still, I've always known there were chemistry between you two… The thing is… Well, I was scared of what might happen with the three of us if you two were a couple. I needed time to think of it, and it took some time."

"And it was necessary to destroy my essay to figure that out?" Michael asked reproachfully, but with a little playfulness in his voice.

"Well… That's another thing… The thing is… All those things I've done these weeks. Well, I didn't plan them to happen. That virus, it _was_ an accident. All things I've done, have been attempts to make this whole thing right again, but I failed all the times, and it all just became worse for each try."

"Are you trying to tell me that you accidentally dropped my toothbrush in the toilet? Were you just trying to make it clean and then accidentally dropped it?"

"Well alright," Joachim said, grinning, "_that_ might not have been an accident, but the rest of the stuff was accidents, really. The toothbrush thing might've been a bit…"

"I think the word childish would be the perfect word here," Madison said and started laughing. At first it sounded weird, because to be honest, she hadn't laughed for a while. But soon it was a real laugh and the two brothers joined her. Finally they realized how silly the whole thing had been, and it was too wonderful to be described in words that they finally could laugh at it.

Madison's phone started to ring, and she picked it out of her pocket.

"Madison here," she said when she finally had stopped laughing.

"Hey Mad, it's me," Madison heard Stephanie's voice say.

"Hey honey! What's up?"

"Surprise coming up! Guess what!"

"No idea, tell me!"

"We're coming to Miami!"

"What?! Are you kidding me?! When?!"

"When school ends, in two weeks!!"

"Are you kidding?!"

"No! We just got the tickets!"

"We?"

"Luke and I, of course!"

Madison's mouth fell open in shock, and it took a second or two before she could say anything.

"Oh… Well… Uh, it'll be great to finally meet him," she said and saw both Joachim's and Michael's curious eyes on her.

"I know! You're gonna love him as much as I do!" Stephanie said, too happy to hear the doubt in her friend's voice.

* * *

Well, guys, i'm sorry. I really hate to even think about stop writing ttty, it's been with me for so long now! Well we'll see what happens. Thanks for reading, and feel free to leave a review.


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